Ray Blanchard

Ray Blanchard

Ray Blanchard

1937-2025

Mr. Ray Blanchard of South Carthage, Tennessee. departed this life at the age of 87 at 12:16 p.m. Friday afternoon June 13, 2025 at the Quality Center for Rehab and Healing in Lebanon, Tennessee.

Mr. Blanchard was at the Carthage Chapel of Sanderson Funeral Home.

The family will have a Celebration of Life on Sunday, August 31 at 2:00 p.m. at the Hopkins Community Center. His ashes will be interred in the New Hope Cemetery. All who attend Ray’s Celebration of Life are encouraged to wear their favorite Hawaiian Shirt in his honor.

He was a Hopkins native and was born in Amity Township near Bradyville, Iowa on July 2, 1937 and was one of five children of the late Roy Denver Blanchard and Opal Viola Blackford Blanchard.

Mr. Blanchard was preceded in death by a son, Brett Solinger who died in 1984.

Also preceding him in death was a sister, Cathleen McIntyre and her husband Donald, and two brothers, Roy Dean Blanchard and wife Charlene and Glen M. Blanchard and wife Jean.

Mr. Blanchard relocated from Dolan Springs, Arizona to reside with his daughter, Susan in Carthage.

Mr. Blanchard was a graduate of the North Nodaway R VI High School in Hopkins, Missouri and Auto Diesel Vocational school.

He retired from the Line Company in 1999 as a diesel mechanic.

Mr. Blanchard was an avid reader, participating in book programs at the Smith County Library in Carthage and had an immense love for RV traveling.

On December 12, 1970 he was united in marriage at the First Christian Church in Hopkins to Patsy O’Dougherty, who preceded him in death.

Survivors include his four children, Randall (Randy) Blanchard and wife Veronica of Alexandria, Susan Blanchard of South Carthage, Lynne Ledbetter and husband Shannon of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, Lesley Hoffarth and husband Jay of St. Louis, Missouri; sister, Helen Lee Morrison of Maryville, Missouri; seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.