Memorial Service for Howard Blanchard

Saturday, September 21, 2019 at Glastonbury Community Church

To listen to the service, click here.

Howard F. Blanchard, 92 of Glastonbury, passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 31, in hospice at Middlesex Hospital, Middletown. Howard was born in Columbus, OH on May 17, 1927 to the late Allen W. and Donna (Leavitt) Blanchard. He was raised in Columbus and Delaware, OH, attending local schools. In his senior year of high school, he volunteered for the U.S. Navy and was called up before graduation. He served in the Pacific Theatre aboard a destroyer escort in the conquest of Imperial Japan. Five years later, the Navy called on him again to serve in the Korean ‘Police Action,’ this time on a hospital ship that participated in a number of battle regions, including the victorious Inchon invasion. Through his Navy years, he served in many cities and countries, including Hawaii, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Hong Kong, and returning home, stopped at San Francisco, went through the Panama Canal and finally disembarked at New York City. His experience epitomized the saying, “join the Navy and see the world.” After his honorable discharge, Howard attended classes at Ohio Wesleyan, then enrolled at Rio Grande College under the GI Bill and graduated with a BA degree in Education. He returned to Delaware to teach history in grammar school and middle school where he also taught gym. Because of his blindness and other disabilities, he came to live in his brother, David’s family home in Glastonbury for the last ten years. Many thanks go to the caring doctors, nurses and staff at Middlesex Hospital, Marlborough Health & Rehab, Marlborough Emergency Room and the emergency responders of the ambulance service. Howard is survived by his younger brother David and wife Priscilla Blanchard of Glastonbury; cousins Bonnie (Blanchard) Lawlor of Arizona and Fredric Blanchard of Ohio. He was predeceased by his sister Jeannette. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Glastonbury Community Church’s general fund. For online condolences, please visit www.mulryanfh.com.