Mary Blankinship of Parma, daughter of the late Arthur and Myrtle Gillbreath Neal, was born in Parma, Missouri on October 11, 1931, and passed away at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff on December 8, 2019, at the age of 88 years, 1 month and 27 days.

She had lived in Parma all of her life, had worked as a CNA, Med Tech and in In Home Care until the age of 82. She was a member of the Eastern Star and the Church of Christ faith.

On March 14, 1960, she married Ulysses Solomon "Blanky" Blankinship in Piggott, Arkansas. He preceded her in death on July 2, 1990.

Surviving are one daughter and husband, Sharon & Roy Duncan of Malden; one son and wife, Ulysses "Boy", Jr. & Kim Blankinship of Malden; fourteen grandchildren, Louisa, Louis, Aquita, Stefan, Mandy, Quinten, Kastenny, Hilary, Ryan, Aaron, Joshua, Brandon, Drew and Jessica; fourteen great grandchildren, Quianna, Samone, Jeniyah, Nevaeh, Camille, Morgan, Jacob, Tristan, Annabell, Lorelei, David, Aidan, Asher and Olivia; five great great grandchildren, Ronell, Raniyah, Rahmad, Nolen and Daniel; one sister, Donna June Ates of Florissant. Other relatives and friends also survive. She was preceded in death by one son, Lowell Shelby; five brothers, Carl, Riley, Raymond, Harry and Charles Eugene Neal, and two sisters, Louise Gilbreath and Violet Ward.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, December 11, 2019, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Watkins & Sons Chapel in Parma.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, December 12, 2019, at 2:00 p.m. at the Watkins & Sons Chapel in Parma with Bro. Rufus Williamson of Parma officiating.

Interment will follow in the Mounds Park Cemetery in New Madrid, Missouri with Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Parma in charge of arrangements.