May 24, 1934 - March 20, 2025
Palmetto, Florida - Lucille Anderson Blankenship, "Lue," passed away on March 20, 2025. Her beloved husband of 57 years, Robert William Blankenship, "Bill," predeceased her in 2013, as did her son-in-law Lars Paulson in 2023.
Lue is survived by her three children: Bart, Barrie, and Danny; her sons' spouses, Jen and Karen; and her seven grandchildren: Tyree, Teale, Tikla, Ashley (spouse Casey), Tristan, Julia, and Zack, all of whom she dearly loved.
Lue's family moved to Palmetto, FL, in 1973 when her husband joined West Coast Tomato, the family business owned by her brother-in-law and sister Dan and Connie McClure.
Lue earned a Bachelor Degree in Fine Arts from Principia College in Illinois and a Master Degree in Art and Art Education from the University of South Florida in Tampa.
Lue painted in watercolors and acrylics and worked in ceramics and computer art. She also drafted home plans and taught continuing art education classes at Manatee Community College (now State College of Florida). Lue was a member of ArtCenter Manatee, served as president for seven years, and co-founded the Florida Suncoast Watercolor Society. She also was a board member of the Manatee School for the Arts.
Enjoying her studies in Spanish while at Principia, Lue traveled to Mexico for a summer abroad study and later taught English to Spanish migrant children. Through the years, she traveled to many countries with her sister Connie, and sometimes with her daughter Barrie, and other family.
Lue participated in many outdoor activities, including swimming, horseback riding, and sailing; and she bought a 21 foot "day sailer" after moving to Palmetto. Lue enjoyed boating with her sons. She accompanied Danny on numerous yacht deliveries up the East Coast, in and around Florida, and across the Gulf. She sailed with Bart to Cuba, and canoed with him on many trips in the Everglades and Utah.
Barrie, Lue, and Connie, calling themselves "The Three Amigos," found pictures, wrote, edited, and published an extensive book of Connie's memoirs and family history.
Lue was a lifelong student of Christian Science. She was an active member of the First Church of Christ, Scientist in Bradenton, FL, serving in many capacities including board member, reader, and clerk.
A memorial will be held at Emerson Point in Palmetto at the John "JP" McDonald Memorial Pavilion on Saturday, May 10, 2025, with the service starting at 3:00 p.m.
Please send any memorial gifts to the church of your choice or favorite non-profit organization.
