Obituary of Blanche Lauver

Blanche Lauver, 89, went to her heavenly home on Sunday, July 30, 2023. She was a beloved Wife, Mother, Grandmother, and friend. Blanche was born on February 13, 1934 to Minnie Ethel Hall and Vernon Sewell Hall in Gold Beach, Oregon. She grew up in Coos Bay, Oregon and spent her time helping on the farm, hanging out with her friends and picking ferns and Cascara bark with her mother for money.

Blanche graduated from Marshfield high school and attended the University of Oregon. Blanche worked as a telephone operator and did assembly work in a newsprint shop. She met her future husband, Robert Lauver, while he was stationed at the Air Force base in North Bend, Or. They married on April 20, 1956 at the Old Stone Church in Winchester, Virginia. They briefly lived in Ohio and Coos Bay before relocating to Puyallup, WA after Robert was hired as an Air Traffic Controller.

Blanche spent the next ten years raising their daughters, Janice and Joan. She volunteered as a Girl Scout leader for her daughters’ Girl Scout troops and enjoyed planning troop outings and camping trips. She planned two overnight horse backpacking trips on Crystal Mountain, which were unforgettable. She also volunteered as choir director for Jobs Daughters when her daughter, Janice, was a member. She enjoyed gardening and filling her yard with flowers.

Blanche went to work as a school bus driver for the Puyallup School District in 1975. She had to retire from school bus driving in 1985 because of back issues. After that, Blanche volunteered driving the bus at the Puyallup Senior Center and then had a paid position driving bus at the Sumner Senior Center. Blanche and Bob never slowed down in retirement. They had a ceramics business in their home. Blanche enjoyed making Nativities and South west art mostly. They enjoyed a motorhome trip across the U.S. and fell in love with a boxer dog at a relative’s house and have had boxers ever since then. She and Bob enjoyed working on the church grounds at Mountain View Lutheran Church for several years. She loved her children and grandchildren and spending time with family.

Blanche was preceded in death by her husband, Robert, her sisters, Lorraine and Lois, her Brother Ken, and her son in law Jeffrey Tucker. She is survived by her daughter Janice Tucker, her daughter Joan Kohler (husband Bill), and her grandchildren Kevin Bellack, Michael Bellack, Adam Kohler (wife Rebecca), and Amanda Kohler.

We would like to thank all of Blanche’s caregivers these past few years, especially Julie Lopez.

A graveside service will be held on Friday, August 11 at 10:30am. A date for the memorial service has not been set. The family has requested that remembrances be made in the form of contributions to Alzheimer’s Association or to Mountain View Lutheran Church.