Mamie BLUMENSHEIN

1927 - 2016

BLUMENSHEIN, Mamie
(Age 88)

A long time St. John resident, passed away Saturday evening, June 25, 2016 at the Whitman Hospital in Colfax. Private family graveside services are planned for Friday, July 1st, at the St. John Cemetery followed by a public memorial service at 11:00 at the St. John Community Building. Viewing will be Wednesday and Thursday from 9 to 5 at Bruning Funeral Home for friends and family who wish to come by. Mamie was born October 10, 1927 at St. John to Julius John and Octive L. (Myott) Zorb. She was the fourth of six children to bless the Zorb home. Mamie attended St. John schools growing up and she learned the value of hard work at a young age. Mamie helped raise her two younger siblings and she began fixing hair for people as a teenager. After her graduation from St. John High School in 1945, Mamie could often be seen working in the Red & White Grocery store as well. Following graduation, Mamie attended beauty school in Spokane and she returned to St. John where she opened her own beauty parlor in town. She married Loren "Dutch" Blumenshein, a local St. John boy, in Miles City, Montana on October 12, 1949. They made their home in the St. John area their entire lives; farming and raising their children. Mamie ran a beauty shop in her home for many years. She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She proudly followed her children and grandchildren everywhere in their many activities. She was affectionately known in St. John as "everybody's mom". Her door was always open and if a meal was being served there was plenty to go around. She was a good cook and did a lot of her own canning as well. Mamie's pickles, sauerkraut, or her homemade rolls were always favorites of the family. As her kids got older, Mamie went back to beauty school to brush up on a few things and she opened another shop in town for a few years. She loved to dance and was often the last one to leave the dance floor. She liked playing cards and taught her kids to play. She would often sing and tell rhymes and even when scolding the kids Mamie would usually make it rhyme. They knew to pay attention then! Mamie and Dutch were long time members of the Wheatland Grange and the Colfax Elks. She also belonged to the Little Valley Club. Mamie liked to go fishing. She loved traveling to the mountains and often went with her kids in their 4H groups where she did all the cooking for them. She really loved gambling and made others laugh with her signature "Hot Damn" whenever she hit the jackpot. Mamie's love for her family was her strong suit. She was very proud of all of them. During the last two years Mamie has lived at the Henderson House in Colfax and she leaves many friends behind there as well. She had a way of brightening up each of their days. Mamie is survived by her children Jenny and Rick Repp, St. John, Carol and Harold Loomis, Clarkston, WA, Alan and Cindy Blumenshein, Tim and Lisa Blumenshein of St. John and Louise Peterson of Rosalia; son-in-law John Heitstuman of St. John; 18 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren and her sister, Doris Teal of Walla Walla and two brothers, Bob Zorb, Spokane, and George Zorb of Colorado, and sister-in-law Shirley Zorb of Walla Walla. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dutch, April 23, 2009; a daughter, Julie Heitstuman; grandson Brent Repp and two brothers, Norman and Bus Zorb. The family suggests memorials be made to the St. John/Endicott School Foundation Scholarship Fund in Brent or Julie's names, the St. John Fairgrounds or the St. John Fire Dept. On-line guest book is at http://www.bruningfuneralhome.com BRUNING FUNERAL HOME, Colfax, is caring for the family.