Blanche JoAnn Gebhardt

Blanche JoAnn Gebhardt, 65, Bismarck, died December 1, 2007, at a Bismarck hospital after a long, courageous battle against cancer. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday at 11:00 AM at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bismarck with Rev. Nate Keith officiating. Burial will be at Bowdon Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday from 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM at Eastgate Funeral Service where a prayer service will be held at 7:00 PM. Visitation will continue Wednesday one hour prior to the service at the church. Blanche JoAnn Hildebrant was born on June 29, 1942, in Bowdon, North Dakota, the daughter of Charles W. and Stella M. Lund Hildebrant. She was raised and attended school in Bowdon, graduating from Bowdon High School in 1960. Following graduation, she attended Interstate Business College in Fargo, North Dakota. In June of 1962, she moved to Bismarck where she worked for the State Highway Department in the Safety Responsibility Division. Blanche married Richard Gebhardt on June 4, 1966, in Bismarck and to their union, they had three children. On December 1, 1978, she began working at Trinity Lutheran Church as the Christian education coordinator, a position she held for twenty years. While there, she touched many, many lives. She later worked at Eastgate Funeral Service as a secretary. She retired in August of 2006, but could not just sit at home, so she started working a few hours a week at Walkers and Daughters Jewelry. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church where she taught Sunday school for years and was involved in several other areas of the church. Blanche's love for children blessed her with many special friends whom she never forgot. Her greatest love was for her faith in God and her children and grandchildren. Some of her most favorite things were reading to her grandkids and playing with them. She was also looking forward to her new grandchild in May. She is survived by her sons and daughters-in-law, Steven and Natasha Gebhardt of Montgomery, Alabama, and Kyle and Amy Gebhardt of Bismarck; her daughter and son-in-law, Kirsten and Timothy McIntyre of Bismarck; three grandsons, Brandon, Liam, and Samuel Gebhardt; three granddaughters, Anneka Gebhardt, and Abigail and Hannah McIntyre; her brother and sister-in-law, Ken and Liz Hildebrant; her sisters and brothers-in-law, Karen and Larry Thompson and Dawn and Bill Waters; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents.

Blanche JoAnn Gebhardt

June 29, 1942 - December 1, 2007