Ada Blankenbaker

Hastings resident Ada Alice Blankenbaker, 96, passed away Thursday, November 5, 2020, at Mary Lanning Healthcare, Hastings, NE.

Memorial Services will be held at a later date in the Spring. There will be no viewing or visitation. Memorials may be given to the family.

Ada was born on January 30, 1924, in Webster County, Campbell, NE to Richard Ignatius and Bertha (Bliss) Cooper. Ada grew up in the Inavale area, graduated from Red Cloud High School, and went on to teach in a rural school which was known as District No. 3, Walnut Creek (near Inavale), NE.  Ada later married Lee F. Blankenbaker and they resided on his farm raising their family.

Later Lee and Ada moved to Red Cloud whereby Ada began her employment with the Red Cloud school system as a teacher’s aide in the elementary school. This was her joy to be with young children assisting in the classroom and playground for almost 30 years.  After retiring, Ada moved to Hastings and took a part-time position with Head Start School and continued her love for children for another five years.

Ada was preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Bert Jameson; grandson, Chad Blankenbaker; daughters-in-law, Kathy, Sandy and Dawn Blankenbaker; and sisters, Helen Whitmore, Mabel Skjelver, Mary Lambrecht, Georgia Cooper, and Clara Williams.

Surviving are her children, Carol Hanna (Allen), Frank Blankenbaker (Linda), Bonnie Deisley, Joanne Dursteler (Dale Ray), Dick Blankenbaker (Rose), Roger Blankenbaker, Lynn Blankenbaker, Verdena Montey (Calvin), and Steve Blankenbaker (Cristina); 13 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; brother, Richard Cooper (Nola); sister, Sarah Jepsen; and many nieces and nephews.