Louise Blanton Obituary
Fannie Louise Pierce Blanton, age 93 of Atlanta, Georgia, went to be with the Lord on February 27, 2024. In the last twelve days of her life, she was cared for by kind and compassionate nurses and doctors at Elmbrook Memorial Hospital in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Loving family and caregivers surrounded her bedside in her final days.
Louise was born in Alma, Georgia on April 6, 1930, to John Arthur Pierce and Ruth Deen Pierce. She grew up in a family of thirteen children. Hard work on the farm, firm child rearing, and two younger brothers kept little Pug (as she was lovingly called) from becoming too spoiled as the baby girl. For Louise, the best day in her life was when she trusted the Lord Jesus as her Savior at a revival meeting when she was nine years old.
While visiting Atlanta in November of 1950, Louise was introduced to her future husband by his godly mother. The next best day of her life was March 27, 1952, when she became the wife of Atlanta fireman, James Dwight Blanton. Because of their unusual love story, Dwight and Louise were married on national television on the "Bride and Groom" show in New York City They made their home in Atlanta where Louise loved homemaking and welcoming four children into their happy and secure home. She brought their children in tow to help Dwight in their "A & B" family business, selling souvenirs at parades, sporting events, festivals, and more. They continued this work long after Dwight retired from the fire department so that they could help their family and do more for the Lord's work.
In the early days of their marriage and young family, they were members of Orchard Knob Baptist Church. Louise worked alongside Dwight in the five-year-old Sunday School Department, making each Sunday school a memorable time for the children. Later, they served as faithful members of Bible Baptist Church in Hampton, Georgia for over 25 years. There they developed many deep and lasting friendships. Louise once again worked in the nursery and children's ministry. For eight and a half years at Bible Baptist, she enjoyed having her youngest son as her pastor and being involved in the lives of nine of her grandchildren.
Louise is best known for the sacrificial love and servant's heart for her family. She was always available to help her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and worked tirelessly to meet their needs. She also used her gift of hospitality over the years by hosting hundreds of people in their lovely home in East Point, Georgia and shuttling many friends, missionaries, and Christian workers from her house to the Atlanta airport. She was a wonderful southern cook and loved to care for her yard–especially her azalea bushes!
She spent the last seven years in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin under the loving care of her oldest daughter and dear caregivers who were students at Baptist College of Ministry. In those final seven years of her life, Louise was a member of Falls Baptist Church in Menomonee Falls, pastored by her son-in-law, Pastor Wayne Van Gelderen. She immensely enjoyed all the church services as well as the college and the academy musical events. She was surrounded by six of her grandchildren and their spouses as well as twenty-two of her great-grandchildren.
Louise is preceded in death by her parents, John Arthur Pierce and Ruth Deen Pierce, her 12 siblings, and her dear husband, James Dwight Blanton. She is survived by her four children: Beverly Van Gelderen (Wayne) of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin; Arthur Blanton (Tracy) of Charlotte, North Carolina; Elizabeth Weber (Scott) of Monroe, Georgia; and Brad Blanton (Deborah) of Ringgold, Georgia. She is also survived by 19 beloved grandchildren* (and their 14 spouses) and 40 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at Falls Baptist Church in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at 3:00 in the afternoon. That service will be livestreamed here. Visitation will be held from 2:00-3:00 at the church.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that contributions be made to Baptist College of Ministry Student Aid (https://givingflow.rebelgive.com). Louise will be buried next to her husband in Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens in College Park, Georgia.
Elizabeth Joy Zempel, Martin Wayne Van Gelderen III, Stephen James Van Gelderen, Anna Grace Overmiller, Daniel John Van Gelderen, Mary Faith Williams, Arthur Dwight Blanton, Jr., Rebekah Blanton Webb, Andrew James Blanton, Katherine Louise Blanton, Zachary Scott Weber, Benjamin Dwight Blanton, William Bradford Blanton, Joseph Robert Blanton, Hannah Louise Blanton, Rachel Blanton Dersch, Melody Blanton Weber, Philip Russell Blanton, and James Pierce Blanton.
