euskalkultura.eus

04/12/2018 - Santa Barbara, CA, USA

(1916 - 2018)

It is with earthly sadness and heavenly joy that we bid Adieu (goodbye and until we meet again) to our devoted mother and grandmother, Blanche Amorena Middleton Johnson, who died peacefully surrounded by family on April 12, 2018.

Blanche was born January 16, 1916 in Ventura CA to grocery/butcher shop owners Martin and Martina Amorena, who had immigrated from the Basque region of Spain. She was an only child and at the age of 15, Blanche's father passed away. She and her mother moved to Santa Barbara and Blanche graduated from Santa Barbara High School, class of 1933.

After attending business college, she began a career working in secretarial positions starting with the Hughes Brothers Pontiac and Buick company until she met and then married Lewis K. Middleton in 1936. Following in her family tradition, Blanche and Lewis began buying, restoring and reselling neighborhood grocery stores as well as starting a family. Blanche had four daughters and one son, Marty, who sadly drown at the age of four. While raising her kids, Blanche often volunteered in their schools and Catholic parishes around Santa Barbara. She was active in the Las Hijas de Espana, a social club that celebrated Spanish culture and cuisine and after Lewis gave her a set of golf clubs for Christmas one year, she began her lifelong love affair with golf!

In 1958, Blanche went back to work part-time and began a longstanding career in banking. She was employed as a teller and new accounts representative that included Santa Barbara Savings and Loan, Crocker Citizens and Great Western. In 1961, her husband died suddenly of a heart attack and Blanche began working full-time to support her family. In 1966, she married Allen Johnson, a successful bank executive. Blanche and Allen had a life filled with family, friends, golf and other activities that included service in Kiwanis, church, the Transition House and caring for Allen's parents until their deaths. In 1994, Blanche's husband Allen, died from a sudden heart attack and the matriarch of the family remained strong and faith filled.

In 1996, Blanche began a decade of world travel with family and friends. As a young girl,

Blanche learned to play the piano and dance. She enjoyed both of these hobbies throughout her entire life. Over the years, Blanche participated in many golf and social events as well as centered her life in the work and activities of the Old Mission Santa Barbara. Blanche worked at the switchboard, took communion to the house bound, and as a member of the St. Clare's circle, drove the sisters to appointments and prayed with them. She was a member of the Santa Barbara Municipal Golf Course Women's Club and a devoted member of the YMCA on Hitchcock Way. Blanche spent her final years living with her eldest daughter and son-in-law, Dawn and John Frederick while enjoying frequent extended visits in the company of her daughters, son-in-laws, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Blanche is survived by her four daughters: Dawn (John) Frederick of El Segundo,CA; Lynne Taylor of Laguna Niguel, CA; Christy Middleton (Henry Manriquez) of San Diego, CA; and Melanie (Gilbert) Parker of Stockton as well as her 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at the Old Mission Santa Barbara, Friday, April 27 at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation either to La Casa de Maria, https://www.lacasademaria.org/giving-overview/ or the Transition House https://www.transitionhouse.com/donate.

(published in The Santa Barbara News-Press Online Edition, Legacy.com from Apr. 24 to Apr. 28, 2018)