wfn.org | ABCUSA: Lois Blankenship, Longtime American Baptist Leader, Dies

["CHANDLER, David" <David.Chandler@abc-usa.org>]

American Baptist News Service (Valley Forge, Pa. 3/8/05)--Lois B.
Blankenship, a longtime American Baptist leader who among other roles
served as national director of the Department of Ministry with Children
for American Baptist Educational Ministries, died March 3.  She was 98.

"Lois Blankenship was one of our American Baptist saints--a tireless,
creative and dedicated source of inspiration and a wonderful example of
faith in action," said American Baptist Churches USA General Secretary
the Rev. Dr. A Roy Medley.  "Her multigenerational ministries addressed
the diverse challenges and opportunities within our denominational
family. Those of us who were blessed to know and work with Lois will
long remember her tireless devotion to children's ministry."

Blankenship was a staff member of Educational Ministries for 27 years,
retiring in 1971. The Lois Blankenship Children's Center at the American
Baptist Assembly in Green Lake, Wis., honors her work in developing that
multi-building complex.

In the mid-1970s she served American Baptist National Ministries as a
project coordinator for its Alternatives for the Aging program.  In 1979
she was named to a special White House task force that planned the
national Conference on the Aging that was held in 1981.

Of Blankenship's service, the Rev. Dr. Margaret Ann Cowden, acting
executive director and treasurer of National Ministries, said:	"We are
thankful that Lois Blankenship so ably shared her gifts with American
Baptist Churches USA. She impacted our denomination's work at both ends
of the life span, and it's often a rare gift to be able to connect with
both young and old. Truly, we were blessed to have had Lois walk part of
her life journey with us."

In her retirement years Blankenship was active at the American Baptist
Church of the Beatitudes and as a volunteer at Palm Shores Nursing
Center in St. Petersburg, Fla.

A memorial service is planned for Sunday, March 13.

K/2005ABNS/05ABN27

American Baptist News Service: Office of Communication, American Baptist
Churches USA, P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851; (800)ABC-3USA
x2077 / (610)768-2077; fax: (610)768-2320; www.abc-usa.org;
richard.schramm@abc-usa.org