Jane Elaine Blankenship, the daughter of Ray Franklin and Willie Mae (Cowan) Kirk, was born June 6, 1951, in Hamburg, Iowa. Elaine graduated from Rock Port High School, Rock Port, Missouri, and attended three years at Peru State College, Peru, Nebraska.

On December 24, 1971, Elaine was united in marriage to Leland Leroy Blankenship, Jr., in Peru. They made their home in Rock Port, and became the parents of two children, Cory and Kary.

Elaine taught at Atchison County Headstart in Rock Port for a number of years, and worked as a convenience store clerk. She was a member of the Rock Port Baptist Church. Elaine passed away Monday, July 19, 2010, surrounded by her family and friends in Rock Port, at the age of 59 years after a courageous battle with cancer.

Elaine enjoyed reading, bowling, flowers and spending time with her family.

Besides her parents, Elaine was preceded in death by her infant son, Cory Michael; brothers, Ray, Jr. “June” Kirk and his wife, Betty, James “Popeye” Kirk, Howard “Whimpie” Kirk, and Harold “Dean” Kirk; sister, Betty Jo Kirk. Survivors include her husband of 38 years, Leland “Butch” Blankenship, of their home in Rock Port; daughter, Kary Blankenship and Gary Collison, Blencoe, Iowa; sisters, Charlotte Delores Gutierrez and her husband, Jesus, Omaha, Nebraska, Jonna Healy and her husband, Dale, Grant City, Missouri; brothers, Woodrow Kirk and his wife, Jeanette, Colona, Illinois, Randy Kirk, and his wife, Mei-Mei Chan, Estero, Florida; sisters-in-law, Rose Kirk, Council Bluffs, Iowa, Phyllis Kirk, Underwood, Iowa, Linda Huey and her husband, Jeff, Omaha, Bonnie Klewine, North Platte, Nebraska; father-in-law, Leland Leroy Blankenship, Sr., and his wife, Mary, Auburn, Nebraska; mother-in-law, Norma Groff, North Platte; uncle, Charles Blankenship, Auburn.

Services:
10:00 a.m., Friday, July 23, 2010, Rock Port Baptist Church, Rock Port, Missouri
Interment: Greenhill Cemetery, Rock Port
Visitation: 6:00-7:00 p.m., Thursday, July 22, 2010, Minter Funeral Chapel, Rock Port
Memorials may be directed to the Elaine Blankenship Memorial Fund.
Online condolences and obituaries at www.minterfuneralchapels.com
Services directed by Minter Funeral Chapel, Rock Port