Blanche Winger Barrymore, 98, a 30-year resident of Ketchum, joined her heavenly father on June 23, 2010, just two months shy of her 99th birthday.
Blanche was born Aug. 17, 1911, in Preston, Idaho, where she grew up as the eldest girl in a family of eight children. In 1928 at the age of 17, Blanche moved to Los Angeles to live with her grandmother and to take a job as a housemaid. In 1931, Blanche met and married William "Bill" Barrymore, a Hollywood stuntman and silent-screen, white-hat Western-movie star. Blanche and Bill had two sons, ski filmmaker Dick Barrymore of Ketchum and Douglas Barrymore of Geneva, Switzerland, both of whom preceded Blanche in death. After her divorce from Bill in 1942, Blanche operated her successful photography studio until 1956 when she went to work for Pacific Bell Telephone Co. Blanche retired from the phone company in 1972 and moved to Ketchum in 1980 to be near her family.
Blanche was a very self-sufficient and independent woman. During her 70s, Blanche worked as an assistant and companion for Ketchum resident and actress Ann Southern; in her 80s, she babysat for her great-grandchildren; through her 90s, she continued to live independently with help from friends and family at her condo in Ketchum until age-related illness in February required in-home assisted living. Blanche moved to Blaine Manor in early May where she received skilled nursing and outstanding care from the thoughtful and compassionate staff.
Blanche is survived by four grandsons, Blake Barrymore (Deborah) of Hailey, Cole Barrymore (Maribel) of Ketchum and Cabo Pulmo, Mexico, Alexander Barrymore (Dora) of New York and Geneva, Switzerland, and Gregg Madsen Barrymore of California; five great-grandchildren, Wing Tai, Jordan, Chloe, Marbella and Liam Barrymore; daughters-in-law, Christiane Barrymore of Geneva, Switzerland, and Betsy Barrymore Stoll of Bellevue; and god-granddaughter Amy Stoll of Bellevue.
Visitation is available at Wood River Chapel in Hailey from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, July 2. A memorial service for Blanche will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sun Valley Road in Sun Valley on Friday, July 2, at 2 p.m. Interment will follow at the Ketchum Cemetery where Blanche will be buried next to her son Dick. A reception for family and friends will be held immediately following interment at the home of Debbie and Blake Barrymore, 209 Apache Drive in Hailey.
Flowers for Blanche may be sent to Wood River Chapel, 403 N. Main St., Hailey, ID 83333; or in lieu of flowers, Blanche's favorite charity was Camp Rainbow Gold, which will host 85 children with cancer during the first week of August at Cathedral Pines Camp north of Ketchum. Donations in Blanche's name may be mailed to Camp Rainbow Gold, 2676 S. Vista Ave., Boise ID 83705.
Arrangements are under the care of Wood River Chapel (www.woodriverchapel.com).
