Mary Ellen Blanke

Mary Ellen Blanke was born on July 6, 1949 to Thomas and Helen Godburn in Waterbury, Conn. She died on the morning of September 21, 2011. She was active in the Girl Scouts movement and attained the rank of Curved Bar. She attended Highview Grammer School and graduated from Nanuet High School in 1967. She was employed at Nyack Hospital in both the IT department and the Billing department for 38 years. She retired from the hospital in 2011. Mary Ellen married her husband Robert Blanke on September 5, 2003. They both enjoyed traveling and saw many points of interest in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Greenland. She is survived by her mother Helen Godburn, husband Robert Blanke, sons: Edward Barrett, Michael Barrett, and Robert A E Blanke; daughters: Jessica Callaghan, Linda Taub, Eileen Ganley and each of their spouses and families; 12 grandchildren; niece Kristen Godburn and nephew Matthew Godburn. She is predeceased by her father Thomas Godburn Jr. and brother Thomas Godburn III. Mary Ellen’s hobbies include counted cross stich and crocheting. As a result of these hobbies many friends received baby blankets and samplers for weddings, births and more. Mary Ellen’s apple pies and fudge were the talk of the area. She was known to prepare sometimes 40 pies in a season from her own apple tree, and during the holidays “double” batches of the treasured fudge. Viewing will be held on Sunday September 25 from 2-4 & 7-9pm and Monday September 26 from 2-4pm at Higgins Funeral Home in New City, NY. Services will be held at the funeral home on Monday at 4:30pm. Donations can be made in the name of Mary Ellen Blanke to The Shriners Hospital for Children, Office of Development, 2900 Rocky Point Dr., Tampa, FL 33607 or United Hospice of Rockland, 11 Stokum Lane, New City, NY 10956.