Blanche was the oldest of thirteen children. Her father died in a flu epidemic when the children were still young, so Blanche helped raise her siblings so her mother could work. She and her mother often went hungry so the younger children could eat. Her mother finally remarried and things were better financially, but after an ugly incident, Blanche left home and fled to her Aunt's home. Her aunt had a son close to Blanche's age, and the two of them ran off and got married, in a state where marrying your cousin was legal. Therefore her married name and her maiden name were the same. She worked for a time in a handbag factory. In 1941 the war broke out, leaving her with a baby girl to care for while her husband Wilfred Gilbert fought in the Pacific theater of the war. After the war, she had two more children to complete their family. They left Massachussetts and moved to Florida briefly, then to El Cajon California, eventually settling in San Jose in the early 1960's. She was a mother and homemaker and never worked outside the home after having her family. She suffered from dwarfism and was only 4'7" tall, but though small in stature, she was big in heart. She was my mother-in-law, and I could never have asked for a nicer one. She is fondly remembered. Later in life, she remembered as a small child always going to mass every single day in all kinds of weather, for which the parish priest gave her a medallion which she treasured. Rest well, Blanche.
Blanche was the oldest of thirteen children. Her father died in a flu epidemic when the children were still young, so Blanche helped raise her siblings so her mother could work. She and her mother often went hungry so the younger children could eat. Her mother finally remarried and things were better financially, but after an ugly incident, Blanche left home and fled to her Aunt's home. Her aunt had a son close to Blanche's age, and the two of them ran off and got married, in a state where marrying your cousin was legal. Therefore her married name and her maiden name were the same. She worked for a time in a handbag factory. In 1941 the war broke out, leaving her with a baby girl to care for while her husband Wilfred Gilbert fought in the Pacific theater of the war. After the war, she had two more children to complete their family. They left Massachussetts and moved to Florida briefly, then to El Cajon California, eventually settling in San Jose in the early 1960's. She was a mother and homemaker and never worked outside the home after having her family. She suffered from dwarfism and was only 4'7" tall, but though small in stature, she was big in heart. She was my mother-in-law, and I could never have asked for a nicer one. She is fondly remembered. Later in life, she remembered as a small child always going to mass every single day in all kinds of weather, for which the parish priest gave her a medallion which she treasured. Rest well, Blanche.
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