Blendena Evans

Blendena Potter Evans March 29, 1915 to January 4, 2012 Blendena was born in Independence, Kansas, daughter of Oran Bruce Potter and Ethel Richardson. She lived in Duluth, Minnesota where her father worked as a mechanic at Universal Atlas Cement Company. After her mother's death when Blendena was six year old, she lived with her grandmother, Nancy Potter, in Mound City, Kansas until she was twelve. Blendena moved back to Duluth with her father, and graduated from Denfelt High School. She attended college in Duluth for one year, Kansas University for two years, and Pittsburg State College, Pittsburg, Kansas for her senior year where she was a member of Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority. Blendena graduated in 1936 with a major in Social Sciences. Blendena worked for two years in Wyandotte County, Kansas City, as a social worker in the Child Welfare Department. She attended the University of California at Berkeley on a scholarship where she earned her Masters Degree in Social Sciences. In 1941, Blendena obtained permanent work in the Child Welfare Department in Topeka, Kansas, where she met her future husband, Norman Evans, who was also a child welfare worker. They were married in 1945. Norman became Director of Rehabilitation in Topeka, and was offered a position in the Rehabilitation Department for the State of California in 1962. Blendena retired from social work, and they moved to Carlsbad and later to Walnut Creek, and San Diego where Norman worked in Rehab until his retirement in 1983. Blendena was a long time member of the American Association of University Women. She became interested in researching her family history, and traveled to England to find her ancestors. She was a member of the British Isles Genealogical Research Association in San Diego for several years. Blendena was widowed in 2001. She is survived by her niece, Elizabeth Gausman, in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, and a nephew, Allen Potter, in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Graveside funeral services will be held 1 PM Saturday April 21, 2012 at the Littell Cemetery. On line condolences for the family can be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com. Arrangements: Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, Mound City Chapel.