Jane Marie Blanchard, the daughter of Clifford and Lillian (Godfredsen) Ringsdorf, was born on November 9, 1933 on their family farm in Kossuth County, Iowa. She received her early education in the Titonka area and graduated from Titonka High School. After high school, Jane married Glenn (Bud) Hildebrand on September 6, 1952.
On May 25, 1968, Jane married Harold Gene Blanchard in Spencer, Iowa. Following their marriage, they lived in Spencer. Jane worked as a waitress at Stub's ranch kitchen, was a photographer for the Spencer Daily Reporter, but what she was most proud of was to be the first woman dispatcher for the Spencer Police Department. In 1980 the couple became involved with the Nebraska Horse Racing Circuit, they enjoyed doing this together for 26 years. Jane did par mutual window sales and helped Gene until her retirement in 2006. She was a member of the Horseman's HPBA and First English Lutheran Church. In her spare time she enjoyed lots of activities including golf, bowling, playing bridge and bingo, horse training with her husband and, most of all, spending time her family and watching her grandkids' activities.
Jane passed away on July 18, 2010, at the Spencer Hospital at the age of 76. She was preceded in death by her father; her grandson, Ross Blanchard; one great grandson, Liam Blanchard; two sisters: Beverly Zittritsch and Janice Struthers; and two brothers-in-law, Kirk Struthers and Delbert Blanchard.
Left to cherish her memory are her husband, Gene of Spencer; two daughters: Marilyn and Randy Friesen of Great Falls, MT and Michelle and Ken Juede of Phoenix, AZ; two stepsons: Kim and Cindy Blanchard of Spencer, IA and Pat Blanchard of Pacific Jct., IA; two stepdaughters: Susan and Tim Norgaard and Lori and Darrel Kramer, all of Spencer, IA; 14 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; her mother, Lillian Porter and her husband, Jack of Spencer, IA; two brothers, Richard and Shirley Ringsdorf of Algona, IA and Terry Ringsdorf of Omaha, NE; three sisters: Sharon and Charles Elbert of Mason City, IA, Bonnie and Ron Zittritsch of Morton, IL and Shirley and Peter Smith of Texas; one brother-in-law, Tom Zittritsch of Spencer, IA; other relatives and friends.
Beverly Zittritsch
January 3, 1941 - November 1, 2007
Beverly Jean Zittritsch, the daughter of Clifford and Lillian Godfredson Ringsdorf, was born January 3, 1941 in Titonka, Iowa. She received her early education in Algona, Iowa.
Bev married Thomas Zittritsch on June 24, 1958 in Rock Rapids, Iowa. Following their marriage, they moved to Spencer where Bev worked as a waitress at Stub's Ranch Kitchen and later, Thurston's. She then worked at Van Ladder and for 19 years she was employed at Spencer Municipal Utilities until retiring in 2001. Bev was a member of the Eagle's. In her spare time, she enjoyed bingo, playing cards, knitting, crocheting, reading and most of all spending time with her family.
Bev passed away on November 1, 2007 at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, MN at the age of 66. She is preceded in death by her father.
She is survived by her husband, Tom Zittritsch of Spencer; 2 sons and their wives: Jim and Joyce Zittritsch of Norfolk, NE and Steve and Beth Zittritsch of Spencer; her daughter, Lori Damman of Spencer; 6 grandchildren: Megan and Mandy Zittritsch, Samantha Sullivan, Michael and Nicholas Zittritsch and Darrian Adkins; her mother and step-father, Lillian and Jack Porter of Spencer; 2 brothers: Dick Ringsdorf and his wife, Shirley of Algona, IA and Terry Ringsdorf of Omaha, NE; 5 sisters and their husbands: Jane and Gene Blanchard of Spencer, Bonnie and Ronnie Zittritsch of Morton, IL, Sharon and Chuck Elbert of Mason City, IA, Janice and Kirk Struthers of Algona, IA and Shirley and Peter Smith of Alabama; other relatives and friends.
Janice Elaine Struthers passed away Sunday evening, May 18, 2008.
A funeral service will be held, 10:30 a.m., Thursday at First United Methodist Church, Algona, with Rev. Mike Orthel officiating. Visitation will be held today one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be in East Lawn Cemetery, Algona.
Janice Elaine Struthers was born June 26, 1945, in Algona, the seventh of eight children of Clifford and Lillian (Godfredsen) Ringsdorf. She grew up in the Algona area graduating from Algona High School in 1963.
Jan was married to Kirk M. Struthers on July 10, 1965, at the First United Methodist Church in Algona. She worked for seven years as a dental assistant for Dr. Harris. Upon motherhood, she chose to work various jobs from home while caring for her children, Angi and Todd.
She was preceded in death by her father, Clifford Ringsdorf; her sister, Beverly Zittritsch; father-in-law, Dale Struthers; mother-in-law, Sadie Struthers; and a brother-in-law, Ross Struthers.
Jan is survived by her husband of 42 years, Kirk Struthers, Algona; two children: Angela (Angi) Bernhard and her husband, Jerry of Mason City, and Todd Struthers and his wife, Tammy of Omaha, Neb.; four grandchildren: her mother, Lillian Ringsdorf Porter and her husband, Jack of Spencer; six brothers and sisters: Jane Blanchard and her husband, Gene of Spencer, Richard Ringsdorf and his wife, Shirley of Algona, Sharon Elbert and her husband, Charles of Mason City, Bonnie Zittritsch and her husband, Ron of Morton, Ill., Terry Ringsdorf of Omaha, Neb.,, and Shirley Smith and her husband, Peter of Birmingham, Ala.; three brothers-in-law: Tom Zittritsch of Spencer, Lee Struthers and his wife, Marjorie of Spirit Lake, and Lynn Struthers and his wife, Barbara of Foley, Ala.; and a sister-in-law, Pauline Struthers of Algona.