BLANCHE BARRYMORE

1920 - 2020

Blanche F. Barrymore
May 21, 1920 - November 2, 2020

OKLAHOMA CITY
Blanche Barrymore passed away in her sleep November 2, 2020 in Bellevue Nursing Home in Oklahoma City. Blanche was born at home to Levi and May Fowler in Sweetwater, Oklahoma.
The second eldest of seven children, Blanche was raised on the farm, along the red dirt roads against a backdrop of nature's symphony. Her formative years were spent picking cotton, milking cows, walking two miles to school every day, singing in church with her older sister, Crystal, and interacting with a large community of cousins, loving parents and siblings.
In essence she was part of a village that created a legacy of a strong work ethic, extreme honesty, kindness and always, always a willingness to help others.
Joyful in heart and spirit, she believed in the innate goodness of humankind. These qualities were and still are what our large family stands for, today.
She had a love and zest for life. Always happy and upbeat, all of her cousins were crazy about her and she lit up the room when she walked in. She was extremely close to her siblings, (even though she once tied her little brother to a tree in her earlier years), and especially her older sister, Crystal, and also her best friend and cousin, Nelda.
She was an outstanding salesperson. While working at Lyric Theatre, she was consistently tops in sales. We always said she could sell swampland in Florida. She was artistic as well. She was an outstanding photographer and also created and sold her own line of handmade jewelry. Her handmade Dreamcatchers were sold throughout Western Europe.
As a published author, her remarkable short stories and poems about growing up in Oklahoma during The Dust Bowl provide an important insight into that time in history in which she lived. At the request of the Oklahoma Historical Society, her published books of short stories and poems will be entered into their archives.
The community that Blanche grew up in, embodied the traits of the pioneering spirit that helped make Oklahoma's rich heritage what it is today. In that "little village on the prairie", watching the ebb and flow, of birth, life and passing over to the other side, where loving relatives are waiting, we are reminded of the lyrics of a song as we celebrate her life and this is what we pray:
"And the little congregation prayed for guidance from above,
Lead us not into temptation,
Bless this hour of celebration/meditation
Guide us with Eternal love."
Blanche Barrymore is preceded in death by her parents, Levi and May Fowler, two sisters, Crystal Henson of Sweetwater, Oklahoma, Lova Ringley of Tyler, Texas, and a brother, E.L. Fowler of Sweetwater, Okla.
She is survived by three siblings, a brother, Jimmy Fowler of Gruver, Texas, two younger twin sisters, Patsy Gibson of Edmond, Okla., and Peggy Munkres of Elk City, Oklahoma.
She is also survived by two adult children, Pam Barrymore of Oklahoma City, Steve Barrymore and his wife, Carol, Oklahoma City, their two children, John Barrymore of Newport Beach, Calif., Stephanie Coles of Edmond, Okla., and five great-grandchildren.
Blanche's Celebration of Life will be held in Sweetwater, Okla., to be announced at a later date.
The family would to thank Hospice and the caring staff at Bellevue Nursing Home and to the wonderful Thompson family with a special note of thanks to the compassion and creativity of Heather Gfeller.
In lieu of flowers, please tell someone you love them and hold your parents near and dear to your hearts.

For condolences, please visit the website of:
www.classicfunerals.com

"Oh, I have slipped these surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings…
….Put out my hand and touched the face of God."