Blanche Canfield

Blanche Canfield, 90, of St. Paul, NE, died Thursday, September 11, 2025, at the Howard County Medical Center in St. Paul, NE. Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Friday, September 26, 2025, at Apfel Funeral Home. Burial will be at 3 P.M. at the Ord Cemetery in Ord, NE. Visitation will be on Thursday from 4 to 7 P.M. at Apfel Funeral Home. Memorials are suggested to the family to be designated at a later date. Apfel Funeral Home is assisting the family, online condolences may be left at www.apfelfuneralhome.com.

Blanche was born on February 23, 1935, in Comstock, NE to Frank and Steffie (Hasek) Parkos. She grew up around Ericson, NE receiving her education at Ericson, NE. Before marriage she worked as a housekeeper and nanny. She was united in marriage to Arlis “Rex” Canfield on January 5, 1956, in Greeley, NE. While Rex was in the Navy the couple lived in Brooklyn, NY, North Kingstown, RI, and Corpus Christi, TX. The couple lived in Ord, Bartlett, and Ericson, NE. In 1963 they moved to Archer, NE where Blanche was a homemaker, and then Palmer, NE in 1979 for five years. The couple moved to Grand Island, NE in 1984 where Blanche worked at the Nebraska Law Enforcement Center until her retirement in 1997.

She would spend summers with her husband camping and attending country music festivals.

She is survived by her siblings: Frank (Dorothy) Parkos of Wylie, TX and Marcella Stelk of Grand Island, NE; children: Charlene Ackerman of St. Paul, NE, Debra Southard Michels of St. Paul, NE, Duane (Valerie) Canfield of Santa Rosa, CA, and Terri (Rick) Lawver of St. Paul, NE; grandchildren: Kaylene (Chad) Coughennower of Altoona, IA, D.J. (Jen) Canfield of North Platte, NE, Kenny (Betty) Southard of Kodak, TN, Cheryl (Thomas) Stepp of Kodak, TN, Brandy Southard of Knoxville, TN, Paige (Dustin) Brumbaugh of St. Paul, NE, and Taylor Lawver & fiancé Taylor Umstead of Shelby, NE; seven step-grandchildren; 13 great grandchildren, 20 step-great grandchildren; one great-great granddaughter; and two step great great grandchildren.

Blanche is preceded in death by her husband, Rex Canfield; parents, Frank and Steffie Parkos Sr., parents-in-law: Palmer and Mable Canfield; brothers-in-law: Maynard Stelk, John Francis Canfield, Palmer Canfield, Arthur Canfield, George Canfield, and Eldon Canfield; sisters-in-law: Lillie Halliburton, Pearl Paxton, Bessie Pierce, Mary Carstens, Bonnie Scott, and infant sister-in-law; son-in-law, Bill Michels; and granddaughter, Kathleen (Canfield) Werner.