Lenora Blank

Hard-working and dedicated, Lenora Blank unconditionally served her Lord and her community. Lenora was a life-long member of the Baptist faith and she relied on her faith in God and prayer to inspire all other aspects of her life.

Lenora Blank was born on November 4, 1904 to parents Neal and Myrtle Baker of Illinois. Lenora was the middle child, and the only girl, out of five. Her father was a tenant farmer and the family often moved from farm to farm in search of more profitable land. While Lenora was still quite young the family moved to Missouri where her father continued to farm and also found work as a logger.

Lenora often told of the hard financial times her family faced. The family relied on storing food in nearby cold streams, canning food for the winter and having “chicken slaughter days,” when the fully-developed chickens were processed into food and stored for the coming seasons.

Eventually the family relocated once again in the Detroit area. Lenora’s Aunt Maude and her family also lived in the Detroit area. Lenora moved into her aunt’s home and earned her keep by helping care for the children. Lenora developed very strong relationships with her cousins and enjoyed looking after them.

Following her graduation from high school, Lenora found a job with the National Bank of Detroit. She worked there for several years. While in Detroit, Lenora also attended and became an active member of the Highland Park Baptist Church. Here she would meet her future husband, Bernard Blank. They met one Sunday when Lenora ended up having to walk past Bernard to get to her friend who was sitting in the same pew as Bernard. Lenora ended up sitting next to Bernard. The two became friends and some time later a romance developed. Lenora married Bernard in 1940.

Lenora continued to work at the bank, however, she and Bernard often traveled to different parts of Michigan during their time off. They visited the small town of Petoskey, located on the shores of Lake Michigan in the upper west side of the Lower Peninsula. Lenora and Bernard both fell in love with the area and decided to leave Detroit to move up to Petoskey. In Petoskey they purchased some property on which they built a motel consisting of several log cabins. They named it Pleasant Ridge Motel. They operated the motel during the summer months and traveled to Florida during the winter. Along the way Lenora would visit relatives and deliver some of the food she had canned. Lenora and Bernard also traveled to Alaska, Hawaii and the Canadian Rockies.

In Florida Lenora often found work in banks or the couple would find a motel or apartment complex to manage. The Blanks continued to maintain and operate Pleasant Ridge Motel for 18 years until marketing conditions changed and they decided to sell the property and move back to the Detroit area.

Lenora’s brother and sister-in-law also lived in Petoskey for some time. While they were there Lenora became very close to the children. Lenora, who never had any children of her own, became an “adoptive” mother to her nieces and nephews after their mother passed away. Lenora delighted in helping to support the children and often found herself helping the children through their problems, acting as a sounding board when they needed to talk.

After their move back to the Detroit area Lenora and Bernard became managers of the Merrillwood Apartments, an upscale apartment complex located in Birmingham, MI, which also housed some retail outlets on the first floor. Lenora and Bernard enjoyed their time at Merrillwood and they continued to manage the complex together until Bernard’s passing in 1991.

Lenora’s personality was centered on her positive outlook. She was forever finding the good in others. Her strong faith was continually exhibited through her relationships with others and her approach to life. As a life-long member of the Baptist faith, Lenora participated in church activities. Her favorite music was that of George Beverly Shea, a member of Billy Graham’s team. She never missed one of Billy’s crusades on TV.

Lenora relied on prayer to carry her and her family through rough times. She always tried to do what was right. Lenora’s family jokingly remembers a time when she “strayed” from this path. On a trip to Canada Lenora had purchased some knitting yarn. She hid it under her coat and “smuggled” it across the border so as not to have to pay duty. Lenora confessed this indiscretion to her family members years later!

Lenora will also be remembered as being a real lady. She always wore a skirt or dress, except on certain occasions when she was working or traveling and then she would wear slacks. Lenora will also be remembered for her strong work ethic and enduring dedication. Lenora was a valued employee and always went out of her way to be at work. Lenora even worked while she was recovering from a broken neck she sustained in a car accident. After her doctors fitted her with a halo to support her head and released her from the hospital, Lenora went directly back to work, never taking off any time to recuperate.

Even after Bernard died Lenora continued to work at Merrillwood full-time. She often tried to “retire”, however, new managers seldom lasted long and Lenora would fill-in until the next manager was hired. The owners of Merrillwood so loved and enjoyed Lenora that they allowed her to remain in the apartment complex, even though she no longer worked full-time. Lenora’s nieces would visit her often and Lenora deeply cherished the stories and laughs they shared. Lenora remained at Merrillwood until she was 93. She then moved to the Muskegon area to be nearer to her nieces and nephews. Lenora died at the age of 99 on Thursday, January 15, 2004, at home.

Mrs. Blank’s family includes eight nieces and nephews, Gordon (Ronnie) Baker of Troy, MI, Carol (Ken) Smith of Ravenna, MI, Robert (Wilma) Baker of Beulah, MI, Edith (Hal) Schneider of Fruitport, Dorothy Mettee of Denver, CO, Harry F. Baker of LaGrange, KY, Dona (Rick) Horner of Grand Rapids and Shirley Baker of Ferndale, MI; many great-great and great, great, great nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held Sunday, January 18, 2004, at 4:00 PM at Countyline Community Church, 80th Avenue and Wilson Road in Coopersville, MI with Pastor Joe Borowicz officiating. A second service will be held Monday, January 19, at 1:00 PM at Highland Park Baptist Church in Southfield, MI. Interment will be at Roseland Park Cemetery, Royal Oak, MI. Visitation will be Saturday, January 17, from 2-4 and 7-9 PM at Achterhoff Life Story Funeral Home, 1751 Peck St., in Muskegon and on Monday at Highland Park Baptist Church from noon until the time of the funeral service. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Michigan. To read Lenora’s complete life story, leave a memory or make a memorial contribution visit www.lifestorynet.com.

Remembered for her caring and gentle nature, Lenora’s positive spirit was an inspiration to us all.