BLANCHE I. ALBERTINE, 91, a lifelong Skagit County resident, passed away on Monday, December 25, 2006 at the Mira Vista Care Center in Mount Vernon.
She was born on January 6, 1915 in Carol County, Arkansas, the daughter of Albert & Effie Wilson Wright. Blanches’ parents were Skagit County residents visiting family in Arkansas when she was born and they returned to their home in Lyman where Blanche was raised and attended grade school. She attended high school in Sedro-Woolley, graduating with the class of 1932.
On September 1, 1937 she was united in marriage to Ernie Albertine in Bellingham and they took an extended honeymoon traveling to Oregon, Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park before settling in Sedro-Woolley and starting their family.
Blanche worked for a time as a legal secretary, a cashier at Montgomery Ward in Mount Vernon, and a rural mail carrier until taking a job as a secretary at Sedro-Woolley High School, a job she enjoyed for over 20 years.
She was at one time a member of the First Baptist Church in Sedro-Woolley. She enjoyed entertaining guests at her home, gardening, compiling photos in scrapbooks, traveling and camping, and playing the organ, which she played at many funerals over the years at Lemley Chapel.
Ernie and Blanche had made their home together in Sedro-Woolley for 55 years until his death in 1992, after which she moved to the Logan Creek Retirement Community in Mount Vernon where she would entertain residents at the organ.
Blanche is survived by her son, Tom Albertine of Shoreline, WA. A granddaughter, Judy Garner and her husband, Chuck of Birdsview and a grandson, Scott Albertine and his wife, Steina of Mount Vernon. 2 great-grandsons, Ryan & Austin Garner; 2 nieces, Janis Kelly and Delores Finkie and 3 nephews, Harold, Jim & Dick Trueman.
Besides her husband she was also preceded in death by her parents, a brother, Doyle Wright and a sister, Vivian Wilson.
Memorials are suggested to Children’s Hospital.
Graveside services will be held on Friday, December 29, 2006 at 11:00 AM at the Sedro-Woolley Union Cemetery with Pastor Bob Weltz officiating. Services are under the direction of Lemley Chapel, Sedro-Woolley.