Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The (GA) - April 22, 2004
Deceased Name: Richard BLANCHARD
Richard Blanchard is widely known as the writer of the gospel song "Fill My Cup Lord." He was born in Chungking, China to Methodist missionary parents, Ralph and Grace Kipka Blanchard. When they returned to the United States he grew up as a child and youth in Indiana and North Carolina. After high school graduation in 1943, he attended Davidson College for one year and then enlisted in the United States Navy. Receiving a medical discharge, he entered Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1947. He married the former Anne Carlton of Oxford, Georgia, a graduate of Wesleyan College in Macon, in 1947. They had three children, Richard, Jr., Carol Ann, and Emily. After Mercer he enrolled in Candler School of Theology at Emory University, Georgia, where he earned a Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1949. While at Emory he worked as youth director at Grace Methodist Church and the First Methodist Church at Decatur. He was ordained deacon in 1949 and elder in 1950, after serving two years as pastor of the Snellville-Grayson circuit of the North Georgia Conference. The Snellville Circuit completed his education for the ministry. Preaching three times each Sunday, riding his old 1939 Ford over the washboard roads of Gwinnett County, getting to know some of the greatest Christians in the world by dining in their homes, holding 4 revivals in 5 weeks the first summer: these were the making of a minister. And the churches prospered, building a parsonage and nearly doubling the membership. Transferring to the Florida Conference in 1950, he completed 40 years in the ministry of the United Methodist Church, serving the following congregations. First Methodist in Orlando as associate pastor; then as senior pastor, Wesley, Coral Gables; First Methodist in Fort Lauderdale; Trinity Methodist in Miami; Palma Ceia in Tampa; First Methodist in Jacksonville; Riviera Beach Methodist; Community Methodist in Holiday; and Conway Methodist in Orlando. Retiring in 1988, he renewed his participation in First United Methodist in Orlando and became a member of the Pendergrass Sunday School Class where he was much beloved. During this period he wrote a beautiful musical, "Francis of Assisi," which was produced by Glenn Longacre of Conway for an audience of 600 people. During this time he was also named "Minister Emeritus" of the Conway Church. In addition to writing numerous gospel songs, many of which were published and recorded, Dick also wrote other things. While at Snellville as a young theolog, he wrote a column called "Between You and Me" every week for the Wesleyan Christian Advocate, the Methodist paper for North and South Georgia. He wrote a story call "The Little Star" which was published in Ideals magazine. Chosen to write an official biography of Bishop John Branscomb, he completed We Remember John in time for the dedication of the Branscomb Memorial Auditorium in Lakeland, Florida. There were other interests and hobbies which were consistent throughout Dick's life: he loved boating and dining by the water; travel, whether conducting tours or driving on our own, in over 75 countries; great art and art museums; spectator sports; word games such as scrabble; collecting stamps and coins; and above all, enjoying people. By 2000, his health began a serious decline. Anne and he moved to Swannanoa, North Carolina, to be near their children. He lived there until he died on April 19, 2004. He is survived by his wife, Anne Carlton; two daughters, Carol Ann Hood and Emily Blanchard-Reid (son Rick died in 1996); a granddaughter, Katie Blanchard-Reid; a brother Ralph, Jr., of Durango, Colorado; and a sister, Carolyn Delay, of Orlando. He is also survived by the beautiful songs he wrote, with their words of faith, love and hope. A funeral service will be held at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, April 22, 2004 at Morris Funeral Home in Asheville, NC. Interment will be at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, April 25, 2004 at the Oxford Historical Cemetery. A memorial service will follow at 3:00 p.m. at the Allen Memorial United Methodist Church.Copyright (c) 2004 The Atlanta Journal and the Atlanta Constitution

Name: Richard E. Blanchard
Date of Birth: Saturday March 14, 1925
Date of Death: Monday April 19, 2004
Est. Age at death: 79 years, 1 months, 5 days
Last known residence:
City: Swannanoa
County: Buncombe
State: North Carolina
ZIP Code: 28778
Social Security details:
State of Issue: North Carolina

Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The (GA) - April 22, 2004
Deceased Name: Richard BLANCHARD
Richard Blanchard is widely known as the writer of the gospel song "Fill My Cup Lord." He was born in Chungking, China to Methodist missionary parents, Ralph and Grace Kipka Blanchard. When they returned to the United States he grew up as a child and youth in Indiana and North Carolina. After high school graduation in 1943, he attended Davidson College for one year and then enlisted in the United States Navy. Receiving a medical discharge, he entered Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1947. He married the former Anne Carlton of Oxford, Georgia, a graduate of Wesleyan College in Macon, in 1947. They had three children, Richard, Jr., Carol Ann, and Emily. After Mercer he enrolled in Candler School of Theology at Emory University, Georgia, where he earned a Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1949. While at Emory he worked as youth director at Grace Methodist Church and the First Methodist Church at Decatur. He was ordained deacon in 1949 and elder in 1950, after serving two years as pastor of the Snellville-Grayson circuit of the North Georgia Conference. The Snellville Circuit completed his education for the ministry. Preaching three times each Sunday, riding his old 1939 Ford over the washboard roads of Gwinnett County, getting to know some of the greatest Christians in the world by dining in their homes, holding 4 revivals in 5 weeks the first summer: these were the making of a minister. And the churches prospered, building a parsonage and nearly doubling the membership. Transferring to the Florida Conference in 1950, he completed 40 years in the ministry of the United Methodist Church, serving the following congregations. First Methodist in Orlando as associate pastor; then as senior pastor, Wesley, Coral Gables; First Methodist in Fort Lauderdale; Trinity Methodist in Miami; Palma Ceia in Tampa; First Methodist in Jacksonville; Riviera Beach Methodist; Community Methodist in Holiday; and Conway Methodist in Orlando. Retiring in 1988, he renewed his participation in First United Methodist in Orlando and became a member of the Pendergrass Sunday School Class where he was much beloved. During this period he wrote a beautiful musical, "Francis of Assisi," which was produced by Glenn Longacre of Conway for an audience of 600 people. During this time he was also named "Minister Emeritus" of the Conway Church. In addition to writing numerous gospel songs, many of which were published and recorded, Dick also wrote other things. While at Snellville as a young theolog, he wrote a column called "Between You and Me" every week for the Wesleyan Christian Advocate, the Methodist paper for North and South Georgia. He wrote a story call "The Little Star" which was published in Ideals magazine. Chosen to write an official biography of Bishop John Branscomb, he completed We Remember John in time for the dedication of the Branscomb Memorial Auditorium in Lakeland, Florida. There were other interests and hobbies which were consistent throughout Dick's life: he loved boating and dining by the water; travel, whether conducting tours or driving on our own, in over 75 countries; great art and art museums; spectator sports; word games such as scrabble; collecting stamps and coins; and above all, enjoying people. By 2000, his health began a serious decline. Anne and he moved to Swannanoa, North Carolina, to be near their children. He lived there until he died on April 19, 2004. He is survived by his wife, Anne Carlton; two daughters, Carol Ann Hood and Emily Blanchard-Reid (son Rick died in 1996); a granddaughter, Katie Blanchard-Reid; a brother Ralph, Jr., of Durango, Colorado; and a sister, Carolyn Delay, of Orlando. He is also survived by the beautiful songs he wrote, with their words of faith, love and hope. A funeral service will be held at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, April 22, 2004 at Morris Funeral Home in Asheville, NC. Interment will be at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, April 25, 2004 at the Oxford Historical Cemetery. A memorial service will follow at 3:00 p.m. at the Allen Memorial United Methodist Church.Copyright (c) 2004 The Atlanta Journal and the Atlanta Constitution

Name: Richard E. Blanchard
Date of Birth: Saturday March 14, 1925
Date of Death: Monday April 19, 2004
Est. Age at death: 79 years, 1 months, 5 days
Last known residence:
City: Swannanoa
County: Buncombe
State: North Carolina
ZIP Code: 28778
Social Security details:
State of Issue: North Carolina