This is the story of Deloris “Lorie” Blend. Lorie was a wonderful woman that was loved, is missed, and will always be cherished. Lolo or Birdie as she was called by her grandchildren, Blayne Goehring, and Cohen and Corbin Gilbert, was an amazing wife, mom, daughter, sister, and lover of the Lord.
Lorie’s story starts on March 12, 1957 in Riverside, California, the oldest child to Glen Ray Howard and Shirley Howard Chism. After moving often during her early childhood, Glen, Shirley, Lorie, and her little sister, Nelda Hawthorne, moved to Burnet, where Lorie would spend her childhood, make many friends, and graduate high school. Burnet is also where she would meet the love of her life, John “Johnny” Blend. Lorie and Johnny had a whirlwind romance and were married in the First Baptist Church in Marble Falls on January 3, 1986.
Lorie loved being on the beach. She and her family spent every summer over the past 30 years vacationing on the coast of Texas. Johnny and Lorie enjoyed cooking for their friends and family, playing games, and drinking morning coffee on the balcony of their beach condo, where they had many happy times together. If there was anywhere Lorie loved to be with her family, it was at the beach.
Dedicating the last 20 years working at the Burnet County Library Thrift Store, Lorie spent her days laughing with co-workers, assisting customers, and helping raise money for the county library. She took delight in her job and always found joy in the simplest parts of life. She will be missed by many friends in and around Burnet.
When diagnosed with cancer in 2017, Lorie remained dedicated to her family and in her will to fight her illness. She remained a brave, iron-willed woman, and strong through her final moments on June 22, 2018.
Loved ones that cleared the path for Lorie are her father, Glen Howard; grandma and grandpa Bobbie and Lloyd Bownds; and mother-in-law Patsy Blend.
Loved ones that will miss Lorie until they meet again are her husband John F. Blend; her mother and her husband Shirley and Bill Chism; her son and daughter-in-law Jeff and Mercedes Gilbert; her daughter and son-in-law Jennifer and Brady Goehring; her daughter and boyfriend Kinzee Blend and Garrett Maples; son Trevor Blend; little sister and her husband Nelda and Gary Hawthorne; brother-in-law and wife Jim and Tama Blend, sister-in-law Terry Rauschuber and Rob Levens, and sister-in-law Peggy Blend. Lorie is also survived by many nieces and nephews, whom she loved dearly Trichelle Hawthorne, Jeremy Hawthorne and Leslie Petty, Beth and Lance Lidiak, Paige and Chris Berry, JB Blend, Adam Rauschuber, Jenna and David Ancira and great-nieces Braely Hawthorne, Brynn and Taylor Lidiak and great nephew Sebastian Ancira; her grandchildren Cohen James Gilbert, Corbin Hayes Gilbert and Blayne Addison Goehring.
And so the story goes on until we see our mom, Lolo and Birdie again. We love and miss you!
