TOGETHER FOREVER
Wanda Blanchard Chase died December 16, 1999 at her home in St. George, Utah surrounded by her family.Wanda was born January 30, 1909 in Chester, Idaho to Byron and Annie McLane Blanchard, the ninth of ten children. Her childhood was spent on a dry farm in Chester, Idaho which laid the seeds of stoicism and frugality that governed her life. She loved music and had a beautiful soprano voice but shunned the operatic training that was offered her as being too "uppity." Throughout her life she sang in choirs and at church and civic functions. She met and was courted by Reed Harold Chase in Long Beach, California, although she was initially put off by the knickers he was wearing to the church dance. They were married on November 8, 1929 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. They had to do without a reception or honeymoon since they were married during the depth of the Depression. Several years later they had a delayed honeymoon traveling from California to Salt Lake City in July with their two mothers riding in the open rumble seat of their Hupmobile. Wanda and Reed loved to travel and during their retirement years they traveled extensively throughout the world. Wanda was active in the LDS Church as a leader in the various organizations, as a missionary with her husband and later as a supervisor in the Oakland Temple for over ten years. She also was a leader in the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. Wanda considered the raising of her children as her greatest accomplishment and joy. She was preceded in death by her husband, Reed, in 1997 on their 68th wedding anniversary.
Her survivors include her children, Gwen (Al) Ludlow, Pleasant Hill, CA; Virginia (Don) McKee, Yuba City, CA; Dolores (Richard) Haacke, SLC, UT; Hal (Bonnie) Loveland, CO; and Duane (Jan) Highland, UT; and 26 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren and one great great-grandchild.
Funeral services will be held Monday, December 20 in the Bloomington Third Ward Chapel at 11 a.m. Burial will be at the St. George Cemetery.
The family wishes to thank Lea, Gayl and Byron Monson and Maria Goodwin for their tireless care and loving concern, as well as her neighbors, Ward family, friends and caregivers at the St. George Care and Rehabilitation Center.
Visitations will be Sunday, from 6-7 p.m. at the Metcalf Mortuary and Monday from 9:30-10:30 a.m. prior to services at the chapel.
In lieu of flowers donations are suggested to the Bloomington 3rd LDS Ward.