Bruce Allan Blanchard

Bruce Allan Blanchard, 71, of Laporte, Minnesota passed away Wednesday, May 9, 2018, at his home in Laporte.

Funeral Services will be 2:00 p.m., Monday, May 14, 2018 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Laporte, MN with Pastor Melody Kirkpatrick officiating. Visitation will be 5-7 p.m., Sunday, May 13, 2018 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Laporte, MN and one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Laporte, MN. Arrangements were entrusted to the Olson-Schwartz Funeral Home, Bemidji.

Bruce was born May 20, 1946 in Laporte, Minnesota to Clifford and Elizabeth (Enblom) Blanchard.  He grew up in the Laporte area and graduated from Laporte High School in May 1965.  He moved to St. Paul for a few years and returned to Laporte and began working for the Paul Bunyan Telephone Company, later becoming a director on the Paul Bunyan Telecommunications Board.  He also served on the Laporte School Board for twelve years and was currently serving on the Hendrickson Township Board.  He enjoyed farming, fishing, hunting, camping, traveling and spending time with his family.

Bruce is survived by his wife, Linda, of Laporte and their son Brandon (Eva) and granddaughters Molly and Erika (Moorhead, MN), a daughter, Beverlee (Jim) Hallaway of Nevis, MN and grandchildren Melissa of Redding, CA; Luke (Essyria) of Fort Hood, TX; Rebekah of Minneapolis, MN, Alex of Nevis, MN, and Elizabeth of Nevis, MN.; brothers Orlan of Laporte and Ken (Gladys) of Detroit Lakes, MN and father-in-law, Melvin Stoa of Laporte, MN. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, Clifford and Elizabeth, brothers Maynard, Harland, Leroy and Donald; sisters Carole and Bonnie; sisters-in-law Opal, Gloria and Marlys; brothers-in-law Donald Paine and Verlyn Olson and mother-in-law Dorothy Stoa.

Online guestbook at www.OlsonSchwartzFuneralHome.com

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