Charles M. Blanken, 90

June 26, 2018

Charles M. Blanken, age 90 of Lancaster, PA, born in Philadelphia, PA, died June 26, 2018. He was the son of the late Edmund M. and Edna M. Blanken, Hershey, PA and was preceded in death by 2 sisters, Carolyn Brown of Avondale, PA, Winifred Wismer of Oxford, PA and one brother, Ed Blanken of Cincinnati, Ohio. He was preceded in death by his first wife A. Elizabeth (Bard) Blanken. Surviving are 2 children, Charles (Chuck) Blanken and his wife Deborah of Buffalo Grove, IL and Beth A. (Blanken) Kise and her husband, W. Kent Kise III of Acworth, GA. He was preceded in death by two children, Thomas M. and Brenda L. Blanken. Surviving are 3 grandchildren. He is survived by his second wife, Nancy C. (Bohrer) Blanken. Her children are David Bohrer and his wife Jane of Los Alto, CA, Corrine Bohrer of Venice, CA, Richard Bohrer and Mike Smith of Wilmington, DE, Joseph Bohrer of N.Y.C., and Matthew Bohrer and his wife, Megan of Marietta, GA. Surviving are 8 grandchildren.

Charles was a Charter Member and Ordained Elder of Highland Presbyterian Church; Ordained Deacon Derry Presbyterian Church, Hershey, PA. He was a graduate of Hershey High School, 1946; Graduate Rochester Institute of Technology. He was a proud Rotarian of the Lancaster-Hempfield, East Petersburg, and Lewes/Rehoboth Beach, DE Rotary Clubs; a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow; Organization Committee Lancaster Area Habitat for Humanity; Board of Directors Sussex County Delaware (Lewes/Rehoboth Beach) Habitat for Humanity; President of the Mid-Atlantic Council Habitat for Humanity; Board of Directors Lancaster County Council of Church’s. Charles served as former Assistant Scout Master of Boy Scout Troop 99 for 20 years. Charles spent his entire 44 years working professionally in the Printing Industry, retiring in 1994 as a Vice President in the Sales Dept. of Science Press, Ephrata, PA.

He served with the 1st Cavalry Division, Headquarters Troop, 2nd Brigade in the Army of Occupation, Tokyo, Japan.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend a Memorial Service at Highland Presbyterian Church, 500 Roseville Rd., Lancaster, PA on July 21st, 2018 at 10 am with the Reverend Bob Burns. Charles’s family will receive friends from 9 to 10 am. Private interment will be at the Highland Presbyterian Church Memorial Garden. In lieu of flowers, those desiring may send contributions in Charles’s honor to The Memorial Fund at Highland Presbyterian Church, 500 Roseville Rd., Lancaster, PA 17601.