Helga Blankenship

Helga Blankenship, age 84, of Cleveland, departed this life on Thursday, November 21, 2019, at Signature Healthcare. Born in Germany on July 26, 1935 to the late Karl and Mina Hoffman Arlt, and lived in Bradley County since 1981 and was a member of South View Baptist Church.

A mother is someone who can take the place of all others but no one can take the place of her.  Our mother taught us to have confidence and believe in ourselves.  She was unselfish and made many sacrifices throughout her years as our mother.  She loved God, her family, music, dancing, bingo, beautiful souls, animals, and of course, food.  Her smile was so bright it could light up the darkest room.  She was blessed and so were we.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her former husband, Freddie Blankenship; grandson, Kristopher Blankenship; two brothers, Karl Arlt and Horst Arltand; and one sister, Sonja Olotoa.

She is survived by five children, Rosemarie Baez (Tommy Thompson) of Jacksonville, FL, Barbara Maynard (Billy McConnell) of Cleveland, Andrea (David) Jones of Cleveland, and Sandra (Rickey) Hutcheson of Cleveland, Bridget Woody of Cleveland; special friend, Patricia Shrouder; nine grandchildren, Sean Baez, Stephanie Baez, Sabrina Baez, Lashanda Blankenship, Brandi Marcrom, Amanda Pope, Kirstin Jones, Samantha Hutcheson, and Jacob Hutcheson; fourteen great-grandchildren; two sisters, Gisela Singleton and Irmghart Spohn; two brothers, Gerhart Arlt
and Hardmut Arlt; and several nieces, nephews, and other extended family also survive.

A Celebration of Life and Homegoing service will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, November 24, 2019 in the chapel of Ralph Buckner Funeral Home.  Interment will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens with the playing of bagpipes and a white dove release ceremony to conclude the service.

The family will receive friends from 12 noon to 2 p.m. on Sunday prior to the service at the funeral home.

We invite you to send a message of comfort and view the Blankenship family guestbook at www.ralphbuckner.com.