Blanche A. Pearce

Blanche A. Pearce, 89, passed away June 2, 2021. Born July 10, 1931, to Florence and Emery Kittle at home in Nickerson, Kansas. She married her high school sweetheart, Bill Pearce, on June 14, 1952. They spent their early years in Texas and Alabama while Bill was in the Army. From there they moved to Nickerson to run Pearce’s Funeral Home. Blanche became a great Jayhawk fan when they moved to Lawrence, Kansas. Des Moines, Iowa was the next stop before they settled in Wichita in 1961. It was important to her to be involved in her children’s activities as they grew up. When her children were older, she became a secretary and then started a small business, Porter Place, with her dear friend Bonnie Chadick in 1984. She was a long-time member of West Heights United Methodist Church where she volunteered her time and was active in various groups. Her first grandchild was born in 1977 and her focus shifted to grandchildren. Blanche traveled all over the world. The joy of her life were the family trips with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren she was able to take. Blanche had many long-time friends including her bridge club, the NUNS, and her Super Bowl party friends just to name a few. She was always interested in people and had a way of listening, accepting and loving people as they are. She had a great sense of humor, a quick wit and you had to watch out for a grandma burn or two. On a typical day you might find her reading, working in her yard, doing yoga, texting or talking to friends and family. She knew more about her grandkids lives than their parents did. She served on the board of the Kansas Dialysis Association for many years and she also delivered Meals on Wheels with Bonnie. She had a fierce will to live and she refused to let health issues, that seemed to always come up before a trip, keep her from traveling with her family. Thirty days after her first heart surgery she was on a plane to Maine to celebrate her 75th birthday with her entire family. She was determined that her health issues would not keep her from celebrating her 90th birthday with all 26 members of her family at the lake. She has been telling every doctor that fought along with her that she had a birthday trip to go on. We will still go on that trip and celebrate 90 years of our sweet mom’s life. She was preceded in death by her husband Bill, her parents Emery and Flo Kittle, her brother Bud Kittle and her grandson Jared Pearce. Surviving members of her family are her children, Mike and Cindy Pearce, Bill and Lisa Farris, Stephanie Pearce and David Alvarez, Gina Pearce. Grandchildren Matthew Farris, Justin and Carrie Pearce, Julie and Rudy Valladares, Chelsea Hartness and Ben Broddle, Caleb Hartness, Adam Alvarez and Luke Alvarez. Great-grandchildren Christiana Sylvaine, Ryder, Rhea and Remington Pearce and Javier and Rocio Valladares and many extended family members. Services will be held on Saturday, June 5, 2021, with visitation with the family at 12:00 pm followed by the service at 1:00 pm at West Heights United Methodist Church, 745 N Westlink, Wichita, Kansas. Memorials to Kansas Dialysis Association, PO Box 47095, Wichita, KS 67201 and Wichita Children’s Home, 7271 East 37th North, Wichita, KS 67226. Downing & Lahey Mortuary West.