Blanche Eleanor Carter Conat

Blanche Eleanor Carter Conat, 92, passed away Feb. 9, 2016 at Heritage place in Kalispell.

Blanche was born on Aug. 11, 1923 in Turtle River, Minn., to Benjamin and Albie Carter. She had four brothers, Earl Carter, George Carter, Laurel Carter and Stanley Carter; and four sisters, Rosalie Carson, Evelyn Swigart, Fern Eyre and Teresa Carter.

She graduated from Bemidji High School and then attended nursing school in Evansville, Ind. She married her high school sweetheart, Donald Conat, in 1946 when he returned after a long tour of duty in Europe and Africa during World War II. They settled in Olney and Whitefish where they raised their two sons, Terry and Rick Conat.

Among her most cherished memories was the time spent working for Dr. Bruce McIntyre at the Whitefish Clinic. In the early 1960s the family moved to Santa Clara, Calif., where Blanche worked for Kaiser Hospital in the medical records department until she retired. She and Don eventually settled on McNary Estates Golf Course in Keizer, Ore., where they lived for over 23 years.

They were honored by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oregon for their tireless commitment to granting wishes to hundreds of critically and terminally ill children.

Blanche was preceded in death by her parents, her siblings, an infant son, Jeffery, and her beloved husband Don, who died just one month short of their 69th wedding anniversary.

Blanche returned to Montana in 2015 to be close and be cared for by her sons. Though she struggled for five years from the effects of a severe stroke, she never lost her sense of humor, her love for her family and her ability to make people smile.

She is survived by her sons, Terry Conat (Jeanie Balding) of Whitefish, and Rick Conat of Columbia Falls; her daughter, Linda Carpenter (David) of Mount Vernon, Wash., five grandchildren, Stacey Taylor (Colonel Michael Taylor), Brandie Elia (Jeff Elia), Sara Kurashige (Aaron Kurashige) Weston Conat (Enya Chiu) and Lexie Conat; and six great-grandchildren, Tyler, Morgan and Zack Elia, Kate and Owen Taylor, and Benjamin Kurashige; numerous nieces and nephews; and her dearest friends, Molly and George McVey.

Her children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren will gather at Willamette Military Cemetery this summer for a private interment and to celebrate the life of this incredible woman who died as she lived with courage, dignity, and surrounded by love.

Austin Funeral Home is caring for Blanche’s family.