Blanche E. Barnes

GOD’s gift to the world was “his only begotten son, “ and to Edna, the gift of her mother, Blanche Etta Jackson Barnes, who departed life on Friday, September 13, 2002. Blanche was born, ninety-two years ago in Gloucester County, Virginia, on July 5, 1910, to the late Frank Jackson and Patsy Dixon Jackson. Her parents and sisters, Maggie P. Watson, Cecelia Hall and Louise Tucker relocated to Baltimore, Maryland. Blanche earned a dressmaking certificate in May 1946 from the Department of Education, Division of Vocational Education but continued her education and graduated in 1957 from the Paul Lawrence Dunbar evening school. While working full time as a homemaker for the Himmelfarb family, she also worked part-time as a tailor at the Anthony’s Cleaners on Gay Street. She retired as a homemaker for the family of Carol Himmelfarb Cummins. After her retirement, the Cummins family continued to visit her, to extend love and benevolence throughout her life. After being courted by William Leo Barnes they were wed in 1930. From this union one child, Edna Loretta, was born. Blanche was an extremely devoted mother who cherished, and adored her daughter, and constantly stressed independence. In her final days, even when speech was limited, she would emphatically refer to Edna as “MY DAUGHTER!” She was so caring and loving that she once stated to Edna, with great emphasis and facial expression: “Do not fall apart at my funeral, I do not want that!” Blanche was a great cook; hot rolls and cakes were her specialty. She received and award, issued by the city of Baltimore, for her pound cake. She loved God, her family, mankind, children and Israel Baptist Church. It was heartwarming to see her, the eldest of the family, and her great-great-great nephew, Dion the youngest, sixteen months old, at that time, communicating. Blanche enjoyed travelling, knitting, word games and was extremely prudent and financially savvy. She never owed a dept nor owned a charge card. Yet, she visited practically al of the fifty states, and also, England, Africa, Ireland, Puerto Rico, and the West Indies. Blanche was a dedicated member and worker at the Israel Baptist Church. Her membership, over 70 years, dated back to the 1930’s when Israel was housed on Orleans Street. Late in the 1980’s Blanche began to reveal signs of dementia and in 1998 a stroke rendered her partially paralyzed and totally bedridden. During these years she was nurtured, with honor, by her daughter, in their home. In November 1999, she was hospitalized at Sinai Hospital, where the doctor informed Edna that her mother should not return home, but be transferred to Levindale Convalescent Center to receive twenty-four hours of constant care. Of the two years and ten months of 1,017 days of hospital and nursing home confinement her daughter missed five, non-consecutive days. She did not merely visit, but to bathe and comfort her mother in the manner her mother enjoyed; the same manner in which Edna had remembered Blanche caring for her mother, Patsy. Blanche leaves to cherish her memory, her daughter, Edna Barnes, two sisters, Maggie Watson of Philadelphia, Pa., and Cecelia Hall of Atlanta, Ga., two very special twin grandchildren, Shanelle and Danelle Reed; two nephews, William D. Tucker of Newark, NJ; Wortham Hall, Jr. of Atlanta, Ga.; three great-nephews, Wortham Hall, III, Leonard Roberts and Larry Tucker, of Newark, NJ; three nieces, Chicora Lee, Rebecca Tucker of Newark, NJ, and Selma Hall of Atlanta, Ga.; four great nieces, Karen Walker, Renee Hall, Sharon Hall, and Claudette Warner of Philadelphia, Pa.; six great-great nieces, Brittany Walker, Tania and Tiffany Sparrow, Katia Taylor, Candace Mc Collin, and Kia Ford, daughter of recently deceased great niece, Denise Ford; two great-great nephews, Darryl Walker, James Thorne; one great-great-great niece, Jada Johnson; one great-great-great-nephew, Dion Waters; one first cousin; Lucille Butler of Los Angeles, Ca.; one devoted and faithful god-daughter, Patricia Cammon; faithful friend, Vivian Wilkins and many church friends who always remembered her with inspirational cards

Tributes

Blanche E. Barnes

July 5, 1910 - September 17, 2002