Obituary of Blanche Parkhill

Blanche Parkhill passed away peacefully at John Noble Home in Brantford, Ontario on May 19, 2023 at 88 years of age, in the arms of her daughter, Tara, and granddaughter, Jenna. Although she had advanced dementia, she was happy and well cared for at both Seasons and the John Noble Home by staff, her dear friend Marcia Pereira, and regular loving visitors. To remember Blanche is to envisage smiles, jokes, laughter, and song. Blanche had a clever sense of humour which she shared generously. She told jokes, often with theatrical voices, wrote funny lyrics to old tunes to celebrate colleagues, and made skits on many occasions. One could always hear Blanche singing or whistling; in fact, she kept humming long after most of her speech was gone. A friend once noted 140 songs Blanche knew by heart. She played the banjo, harmonica and ukulele, and was teaching herself piano in her later years. Her joy and solace were in her garden, lovingly tending to her “babies” in the basement over winter. Raising five children as a single, working mom honed her resourcefulness and thriftiness. She was an excellent cook and a wiz for waste-saving hacks. Oh, what she could do with hamburger! … and dryer fluff. Blanche’s creativity extended into painting, ceramics, mosaics and a keen eye for interior decorating. She was an especially accomplished seamstress, sewing everything from Barbie clothes to prom dresses. She was full of wit and wisdom. The only of her siblings to finish high school and attend university, Blanche was well-educated with a superb vocabulary. She was a champion at Scrabble and a lover of crosswords, even the cryptic ones. In times of need, you could count on Blanche to provide caring words of comfort, a relevant song or a clever expression. Blanche is known to many in Brantford from her 26 years as a public health nurse. She also contributed generously to the Canadian Mental Health Association, from being President of the CMHA Brant County Branch to her involvement in many fundraising events such as organizing dances, car rallies and selling geraniums. She was quite involved with the local Liberal Association, a volunteer for Brantford’s Literacy Council, and a long-time canvasser for the Diabetes Association. She valued her many friends and frequent parties or get-togethers with her Bridge Club, Book Club, Sewing Group, and “Singles” group. Blanche Bernice Schentag was born on October 13 th , 1934 on a farm near Yarbo Saskatchewan. She was the youngest and last surviving of 10 children born to Joseph and Elizabeth Schentag. She graduated in 1956 from Winnipeg’s Misericordia School of Nursing. She married her children’s father, Ronald Donaldson (b 1935) in 1957 and was divorced in 1975. She married Donald Parkhill (d 2005) in 1981. Together they enjoyed many travels, crazy Halloween costumes, scrabble games and time at the precious cottage, Balfron. Blanche is loved by her children Kirk, Heather, Lon and Laurel Donaldson (m. Terry Harris), Tara Neate (m. Roger Neate), and stepchildren Ariel Barkley (m. Phil Howard) and Robert Parkhill (m. Lynn Walker, d. 2019), as well as by 10 grandchildren (Jenna and Alec Neate; RJ and Mark Parkhill; Austin, Felicia and Chantelle Donaldson; Laura and Nicholas Barkley, and Eden Lipka (nee Barkley); surrogate daughter Fran Welsh; 5 great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. NO FLOWERS PLEASE. In lieu of flowers, Memorial contributions may be made in Blanche’s name to CMHA-Brant Haldimand Norfolk Branch or just sing an old song and reminisce about a great life, well lived. Family and friends will be received on Thursday, May 25th, 2023 from 6-8 pm at Beckett-Glaves Family Funeral Centre, 88 Brant Ave. Brantford, 519-752-4331. A Memorial service and tea party will be held at Beckett- Glaves on Friday May 26th, 2023 at 11:00 am. A tree will be planted in memory of Blanche in the Beckett- Glaves Memorial Forest.