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Myra B. Harrington Bledsoe
“beloved wife, mother, and grandmother”
Austin, PA---Myra B. Harrington Bledsoe, 84, of Austin, formerly of Hudson, NY and Wellsville, NY, passed away unexpectedly at home on Sunday, June 6, 2010.
Born January 12, 1926 in Kings Run, McKean County, PA, she was a daughter of Floyd and Therressie Ford Harrington. On July 2, 1954 in Hudson, NY, she married Harold F. Bledsoe, who survives.
She attended the Upper Bells Run one room school riding in a homemade wooden bus pulled by horses. She later moved to Shinglehouse where she graduated as president of her class. She received her B.S. in early childhood education at Mansfield University, her master’s degree from Syracuse University and took post-graduate courses at several universities.
She taught at Woodhull, NY and Whitesville, NY before going to Hudson, NY where she taught at the New York State Training School for Girls for three years. She married her husband in the chapel with all 385 girls attending, after getting permission from then Governor Thomas Dewey. Mrs. Bledsoe spent the next 25 years teaching in the Hudson City Public Schools where she started the first Modified Education program for the Mentally Handicapped. She was elected by the Eastern Zone to be honored and written up as an outstanding educator and had also been listed in several “Who’s Who” publications through the years. After retiring from teaching, she trained in New York City to teach the blind and worked for the NYS Commission for the Blind in Albany, NY for 11 years.
She moved to Wellsville in 1998 and to Austin in 2006.
Mrs. Bledsoe was a former member of the Wellsville (NY) Seventh-Day Adventist Church where she served in several offices and was a member of the Coudersport Seventh-Day Adventist Church. She served as president of several teachers associations and was a member of the Allegany Retired Teachers Association. After retiring she served as president and County director of Columbia Retired Teachers. While residing in Hudson, she volunteered for many charitable organizations, including driving for the Meals on Wheels program along with her husband. After moving to Wellsville she volunteered in the Gift Shop of Jones Memorial Hospital where she also served as chairman of one of the Twigs. She was nominated as Volunteer of the Year.
She was a 50 year member, past Worthy Matron and Right Worthy of Duncan Chapter #195 Order of the Eastern Star in Friendship, NY. She also was a member of Mt. Merino Chapter #366 Order of the Eastern Star in Hudson where she served as matron several times. She was a member of Olean Court #19 Order of the Amaranth and also served as Grand Royal Matron of New York in 1995. Mrs. Bledsoe was also a 60 year member of Olean Daughters of the Revolution and was past Regent. She played in the Rhythm Band at the Wellsville Senior Center.
Surviving besides her husband are a son, Robert T. (Jayne) Bledsoe of Woodville, Wisconsin; a daughter, Rosemary L. (Kenneth) Glover of Newburg, NY; two grandchildren, Lauressa Glover and Scott Logan Glover, both of Newburg; a sister, Juanita M. Perry of Austin; several nieces and nephews, including Henrietta Harrington of Wellsville and Paul (Pat) Perry of Austin.
In addition to her parents, Mrs. Bledsoe was predeceased by a sister, Myrtle Weatherille; a brother, Henry Harrington; and twin grandsons, Drew and Drake Glover.
Friends may call on Tuesday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Virgil L. Howard Funeral Home, 118 South Union Street, Shinglehouse, PA and on Wednesday, June 9, 2010 from 10 to 11 a.m. at which time funeral services will be held with Pastor Mike Bernard, of the Coudersport Seventh-Day Adventist Church, officiating. Burial will be in the Whitesville Rural Cemetery, Whitesville, NY.
Members of Olean Court #19 Order of the Amaranth will conduct a memorial service at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the funeral home. Members of Duncan Chapter #195 O.E.S. will then conduct a memorial service.
Flowers are gratefully declined. Memorials may be made to Amaranth Diabetes Fund, c/o Janet E. Tarbox, PO Box 214, Westons Mills, NY 14788 or to a local chapter of the American Cancer Society.
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