Blanche Haley, age 94, of Sartell, MN, formerly of Huron, SD, died Wednesday, January 23, 2013, at Country Manor in Sartell. Her Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, January 29, at Holy Trinity Catholic Parish with burial at St. Martin Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday from 3-8 p.m. at Welter Funeral Home with family present from 6-8 p.m. and a scripture service at 7:00 p.m.; or Tuesday morning one hour prior to the service at the church. Memorials may be directed to Country Manor Foundation in Sartell, MN (www.countrymanor.org), or Holy Trinity Catholic School in Huron. The family would like to thank the staff on Pioneer Village at Country Manor and Heartland Hospice for the many years of devoted care given to Blanche. It was her home away from home. The family will be gathering at the Janet Eickhoff home, 876 14th St. SW, Huron. Blanche Haley was born Blanche Mary Gebhart in Orient,SD, on February 25, 1918, to Ed and Clara (Bauhs) Gebhart.Blanche attended Catholic School in Zell for 2-3 years then eventually graduated from Orient High School in 1936. Blanche attended Northern Normal and Industrial School (Northern State University) graduating with a"One year Education" Certificatein June 1937. She taught all 8 grades in one-room Country Schools in Selding and Roscoe. At this time, Blanche's father Ed Gebhart became ill with a leg infection and spent nearly 4 years in an Aberdeen Hospital. As the oldest daughter, Blanche took over as the head of the household and cared for her 7 younger siblings. With her father's restored health, Blanche returned to Northern Normal and Industrial School and graduated in June 1942 with a "2 Year Upper Grade" Certificate.It was at this time that she moved to Philip,SD, where she taughtseventh grade. It was in Philip that Blanche met her future husband, Bill Haley.When Bill joined the Army during WWII, Blanche continued to teach and worked in a dress shop. Blanche returned toOrientto teachat OrientHigh School in 1945.Aftershe married Bill on January 3, 1946, in Orient, they moved to Miles City, MT.It was there they opened their first grocery store. Blanche and Bill worked together at the store until the children came.Together they had 9 children, including a set of twins. In 1962, Blanche and Bill moved the family to St Cloud, MN, where Bill continued to work in the grocery business. Blanche was a wonderful cook, baker and seamstress.She kept her house decorated for the seasons; making all holidays special, especially birthdays.Shedesigned and crocheted or sewed clothes for the children and grandchildren. In 1974, Blanche and Bill moved to Huron, SD, to open Haley's Fairway Foods.At this time only 3 children were at home, so Blanchereturned to working with Bill at the store but never missed her children's sporting events or music recitals. The grandchildren started coming and she was there to care for them. Her family holds dear memories of homemade gumdrop cookies, caramel rolls, hand decorated angel food cakes, afternoons of volleyball games and fierce matches of Trivial Pursuit. Always with a love of music and teaching, she volunteered many hours to schools and churches wherever they lived, as well as 4H, the Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts. She was an inspiration for her children encouraging them to volunteer time, study music, play instruments and enjoy athletics. She was a great Minnesota Vikings fan, but the Minnesota Twins was her main team. Always the caregiver, Blanche cared for her parents at times of illness. Her parents Ed and Clara lived with Blanche and her family for several months at a time. After Ed died, she helpedher Mom in Orient, but eventually Clara moved in with Blanche and Bill until her death at age 98.She cared forher husband, Bill, when he was ill and died in 1996. Sheloved her 9 children (including a set of twins), 30 grandchildren (including a set of twins), and 16 great-grandchildren (including a setof twins). Her Catholic Faith was always important to her and she volunteered many hours as a Eucharistic minister and member of the Altar Society. Blanche is survived by 9 children: - Janet Eickhoff of Huron, SD, and her children, Dennis (Sarah), Amy (Dustin) Rave, and Amanda (Tom) Volk; - Jean Haley of St. Cloud, MN; - Pat Haley of St. Paul, MN, and his children Katie (Brian) Meiners, Maggie, and Andy; - Thom Haley of Sioux Falls, SD, and his children Tracy (Jason) Bieber, Christopher, Sarah, Matthew and Nick; - Ted (Judy) Haley of West St, Paul, MN, and their children Samantha, Abby, Josh and Erin; - Michael (Marilyn) Haley of Caledonia, WI, and their children Emily (Jake) Gonzales, Gabriel (Jane), Rosie (Steven) Richichi, Bill and Becky (Zach) Kinzer; - Joe (Darunee) Haley of Sartell, MN, and their children Charly, Prairie and Thron; - Margaret Johnson of Lansing, KS, and her children Will and Ben; - Mary Derby of Arnolds Park, IA, and her children Mickey, Tyler and Konner; 28 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren with 2 more on the way; 3 sisters; 1 brother; many nieces and nephews, cousins and friends. Blanche was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Bill on August 18, 1996; brothers, Harold, Francis, Ralph, and Donald Gebhart; her grandchildren, Jacob Haley and Brian Eickhoff. OBITUARY INFORMATION WELTER FUNERAL HOME - HURON, SDD 605 / 352-6721 Photo: Yes (email) Free Version Blanche Haley, age 94, of Sartell, MN, formerly of Huron, SD, died Wednesday, January 23, 2013, at Country Manor in Sartell. Her Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, January 29, at Holy Trinity Catholic Parish with burial at St. Martin Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday from 3-8 p.m. at Welter Funeral Home with family present from 6-8 p.m. and a scripture service at 7:00 p.m.; or Tuesday morning one hour prior to the service at the church. Memorials may be directed to Country Manor Foundation in Sartell, MN (www.countrymanor.org), or Holy Trinity Catholic School in Huron. The family will be gathering at the Janet Eickhoff home, 876 14th St. SW, Huron. Visit www.welterfuneralhome.com Blanche Haley was born Mary Gebhart in Orient,SD, on February 25, 1918, to Ed and Clara (Bauhs) Gebhart.Blanche attended Catholic School in Zell for 2-3 years then eventually graduated from Orient High School in 1936. Blanche attended Northern Normal and Industrial School (Northern State University) graduating with a"One year Education" Certificatein June 1937. She taught all 8 grades in one-room Country Schools in Selding and Roscoe. At this time, Blanche's father Ed Gebhart became ill with a leg infection and spent nearly 4 years in an Aberdeen Hospital. As the oldest daughter, Blanche took over as the head of the household and cared for her 7 younger siblings. With her father's restored health, Blanche returned to Northern Normal and Industrial School and graduated in June 1942 with a "2 Year Upper Grade" Certificate.It was at this time that she moved to Philip,SD, where she taughtseventh grade. It was in Philip that Blanche met her future husband, Bill Haley.When Bill joined the Army during WWII, Blanche continued to teach and worked in a dress shop. Blanche returned toOrientto teachat OrientHigh School in 1945.Aftershe married Bill on January 3, 1946, in Orient, they moved to Miles City, MT.It was there they opened their first grocery store. Blanche and Bill worked together at the store until the children came.Together they had 9 children, including a set of twins. In 1962, Blanche and Bill moved the family to St Cloud, MN, where Bill continued to work in the grocery business. Blanche was a wonderful cook, baker and seamstress.She kept her house decorated for the seasons; making all holidays special, especially birthdays.Shedesigned and crocheted or sewed clothes for the children and grandchildren. In 1974, Blanche and Bill moved to Huron, SD, to open Haley's Fairway Foods.At this time only 3 children were at home, so Blanchereturned to working with Bill at the store but never missed her children's sporting events or music recitals. The grandchildren started coming and she was there to care for them. Her family holds dear memories of homemade gumdrop cookies, caramel rolls, hand decorated angel food cakes, afternoons of volleyball games and fierce matches of Trivial Pursuit. Always with a love of music and teaching, she volunteered many hours to schools and churches wherever they lived, as well as 4H, the Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts. She was an inspiration for her children encouraging them to volunteer time, study music, play instruments and enjoy athletics. She was a great Minnesota Vikings fan, but the Minnesota Twins was her main team. Always the caregiver, Blanche cared for her parents at times of illness. Her parents Ed and Clara lived with Blanche and her family for several months at a time. After Ed died, she helpedher Mom in Orient, but eventually Clara moved in with Blanche and Bill until her death at age 98.She cared forher husband, Bill, when he was ill and died in 1996. Sheloved her 9 children (including a set of twins), 30 grandchildren (including a set of twins), and 16 great-grandchildren (including a setof twins). Her Catholic Faith was always important to her and she volunteered many hours as a Eucharistic minister and member of the Altar Society. Blanche is survived by 9 children, Janet Eickhoff of Huron, SD, and her children, Dennis (Sarah), Amy (Dustin) Rave, and Amanda (Tom) Volk; Jean Haley of St. Cloud, MN; Pat Haley of St. Paul, MN, and his children Katie (Brian) Meiners, Maggie, and Andy; Thom Haley of Sioux Falls, SD, and his children Tracy (Jason) Bieber, Christopher, Sarah, Matthew and Nick; Ted (Judy) Haley of West St, Paul, MN, and their children Samantha, Abby, Josh and Erin; Michael (Marilyn) Haley of Caledonia, WI, and their children Emily (Jake) Gonzales, Gabriel (Jane), Rosie (Steven) Richichi, Bill and Becky (Zach) Kinzer; Joe (Darunee) Haley of Sartell, MN, and their children Charly, Prairie and Thron; Margaret Johnson of Lansing, KS, and her children Bill and Ben; Mary Derby of Arnolds Park, IA, and her children Mickey, Tyler and Konner; 16 great-grandchildren with 2 more on the way; many nieces and nephews, cousins and friends. Blanche was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Bill on August 18, 1996; brothers, Harold, Francis, Ralph, and Donald Gebhart; her grandchildren, Jacob Haley and Brian Eickhoff. The family would like to thank the staff on Pioneer Village at Country Manor and Heartland Hospice for the many years of devoted care given to Blanche. It was her home away from home.