Max A. Blanding

Blanding, Max A., 81, passed away Wednesday, October 6, 2010, at his home in Wichita after a long, valiant battle with failing health. A retired ATSF railroad agent telegrapher, Max was born and raised in Formoso, Kansas. He served in the U.S. Army from 1951 to 1953 above the 38th parallel in Korea and was honorably discharged as a sergeant. He was preceded in death by his parents, Leo and Cleo (Briggs) Blanding and his siblings, Robert and Rex Blanding and Bernice Romero. An extraordinary, generous and faithful husband, father and grandfather, he will be lovingly missed by his wife of 56 years, Marylyn; children, Joni Garcia (Ron) and David Blanding; grandchildren, Amanda Blanding, Andrea Humphreys (Dwan), Justin Blanding, Joshua Blanding (Jennifer), Paul Garcia (Glynnis) and Lexi Garcia; great-grandchildren, Logan, Brynn, Nicholas, Shane, Evelyn and Christian. Memorial service, 10 a.m., Saturday, October 9, Westlink Christian Church, 2001 N. Maize Rd. A mililtary graveside inurnment service will follow at 2 p.m. at Hillcrest Cemetery in Florence. Memorial established with Florence Historical Society-Santa Fe Depot Fund, P.O. Box 143, Florence, KS 66851. Downing Lahey Mortuary West. Inurnment service, 2:00 P.M., Saturday, October 9, Hillcrest Cemetery, Florence, KS