Geneva “Tootsie” Gillihan Blankenship
of Melbourne
June 25, 1929 – October 30, 2024
Geneva ”Tootsie” Gillihan Blankenship of Melbourne passed away Wednesday, October 30, 2024.
She was born June 25, 1929 at Twin Creek, Arkansas to Simon Gillihan and Verlie Mae Smith Gillihan. She was the third child of seven.
Geneva married Robert Cleveland Blankenship August 7, 1947 at Jumbo, Arkansas and they were married for 67 years. To this union three daughters were born, Lois (Carroll) Pearson of Gurdon, Pat (Keith) McCurley of Wideman and Martha (Danny) Wilkerson of Melbourne. She is also survived by four grandchildren, Tina (Robert) Martin, Melissa (Mitch) Pennington, Travis Wilkerson and Lacey (Heath) Johnson; three step-grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; ten great-great-grandchildren and sister-in-law, Janette Gillihan.
During her life she was a homemaker and a partner in work with her husband on the farm, gardening and raising cows, hogs and crops. She enjoyed feeding her family and friends and making peanut butter cookies. She enjoyed crafts, crocheting name dollies, book markers, booties and baby blankets too. She was a member of the Twin Creek Church of Christ since an early age where she was eager to attend church services with her brothers and sister, nieces, nephews, cousins and her church family. She enjoyed good morning fishing on the White River catching trout with her husband. She spent years working with the Izard County Fair and the youth 4-H groups.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Robert Cleveland Blankenship; five brothers, Boyce (Frances), Shelby (Sharon), Junior (Opal), George and Clifton (Melba); one sister, Katherine (Tom) Phipps and grand-daughter, Charlotte Tankersley.
Pallbearers will be Toby Smith, Heath Johnson, Jonathan Baker, Mike Phipps, Ronnie Gillihan and Michael Gillihan.
Graveside services were held Friday, November 1, 2024 at Combs Cemetery under the direction of Roller-Crouch Funeral Home of Batesville with Danny Brightwell officiating.
Memorials may be made in her honor to Combs Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 1000, Melbourne, AR 72556.
