Della Fay Blankinship passed away on December 9, 2018. Della was born in Oil Hill, Kansas to Sam and Nettie Rutherford Blankinship on September 4, 1922. She was raised in Oil Hill, on a farm near Wentworth, Missouri and graduated from high school in Potwin, Kansas. After high school she became a sheet metal worker. During the war she worked on Army planes in Hawaii as a "Rosie the Riveter." Because she was the smallest on the crew she always had to work on the tail gunner space. After the war she became a bookkeeper and worked in Oklahoma City, Honolulu, Denver, Tulsa and finally Dallas. She always loved traveling and visited 30 countries, many more than once. Her favorite trip was to Australia where she celebrated her 80th birthday with a hot air balloon ride over the Outback. Della was a voracious reader and loved movies and the theater.
Her mother lived with her for 22 years until Della retired at age 75 and they both moved back to Tulsa to be near family. She was predeceased by her sister and brother-in-law, Dorothy and John Elliott. She is survived by her nieces and nephew; Susan Harris (Jim) of Tulsa, John Elliott (Sandy) of Bremerton, WA and Patty Elliott of St. Paul, MN, as well as three great nieces and a great nephew, and 7 great-greats. Numerous cousins include Ruth and Curt Jacobs of Jenks and Chuck and Judy Jacobs of Plainfield, IL. Her family appreciates the care givers at the Oklahoma Methodist Manor health center and Aberdeen Assisted Living Center.
A celebration of her life will be held at Hope Unitarian Church, 8432 South Sheridan Road, on
Saturday, December 15 at 12:30 P.M. Her family suggests memorials to Hope Church or to Oklahomans for Special Library Services, PO Box 53593, Oklahoma City, OK 73152. Moore's Southlawn 918-663-2233 share memories at www.moorefuneral.com