Obituary of Anne Blanchard

Anne Patricia (Collins) Blanchard Loving wife and sister Canandaigua, NY Anne Blanchard, 67, died peacefully in Naples, Florida January 16, 2011, surrounded by family, after a short illness. Born on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17th 1943 to the late Neil P. Collins and Teresa (Klug -Collins) Metzger, Anne was schooled in Rochester, she attended Holy Family and St. Agnes High School (’60) and graduated in 1964 from Nazareth College with a major in business and economics. She joined Eastman Kodak after graduation, beginning a career of almost three decades during which she moved from secretary to manager level in several departments. She retired in 1992 as a human resources manager and later worked as a senior consultant for affirmative action for HR Works in Rochester, helping regional companies with EEO issues. Anne married Dan Blanchard on April 30th 1988, 25 years after they had been unsuccessfully fixed up in high school. The second time was a charm and they had a wonderful loving marriage, living in Rochester and Canandaigua, vacationing in St. Thomas and Florida. They bought a winter home in Estero, FL in 2010 Anne and Dan had many wonderful friends but none were dearer to her than the members of the Bridge Club, a group (initially) of 10 girls from all around Rochester who came to Nazareth College in 1960. Through they stopped playing bridge years ago, the friendships and get togethers carried on as they supported each other through the highs and low events all lives go through. Anne was the youngest of the group (as she loved to remind them) and is the first to pass. In addition to her husband Dan, Anne is survived by one brother; Neil Collins and his wife Nancy of Kennebunkport, ME, her sister in law Jackie White and her husband Paul of Pittsford NY and sister in law Gail Blanchard of Webster NY and nieces, nephews and cousins. She will also be missed by her schnauzers Reilly and Murphy She was a member of St. Mary's Parish in Canandaigua and of Our Lady of Light Catholic Community in Estero where she was a member of the Ladies Group. Over the years Anne received outstanding care from medical teams at the Cleveland Clinic where she underwent a lung transplant on her 15th wedding anniversary in 2003 and at F.F. Thompson Hospital which helped her grow stronger before and after the transplant. Anne’s family is especially grateful to the medical staff at NCH Hospital in Naples, Fl. They treated her in her last days with an extraordinary amount of love and compassion and helped the family to come through this difficult time. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made in Anne's name to the Lung Transplant Group, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195. Friends may call Sunday, January 23, from 2 to 5 pm at Fuller Funeral Home Inc., 190 Buffalo St. Canandaigua. A 10:00 a.m. funeral Mass will be held Monday, January 24 at St. Mary's Church, 95 North Main Street, Canandaigua. Sunday January 23, 2011, 2:00 pm-5:00 pm at Fuller Funeral Home, Inc. Click for Map and Directions Monday January 24, 2011, 10:00 am at St. Mary's Church Click for Map and Directions Interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery