Obituary for Blanche Catherine Hilton (Beam)
Blanche Catherine Hilton, 94, of Concord, North Carolina, passed away on February 7, 2023.
Blanche was born in Guthriesville, Pennsylvania, on April 21, 1928, to the late William O. Beam and the late Roxanna F. Beam. She was preceded in death by her husband Charles Hilton; brothers Clarence, William, Leon, Raymond, Carl and Robert Beam; and sisters Dorothy Harple and Myra Thomas.
Blanche is survived by her daughters, Terri Gro and Kenni Doyle (Michael) of Concord, NC; grandsons Salvatore Costanzo (Erika) of Pittsburgh, PA, Joseph Gro (Seychelles) of Homestead, FL, Sean Doyle of Atlanta, GA, and Cameron Doyle of Williamsburg, VA; and great-grandchildren Kacie Costanzo, Lexi Costanzo, Charles Gro and Kara Gro. Blanche is also survived by her sister, Pauline Kenworthy, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Blanche was born and raised on a farm in Guthriesville, PA, the eighth of ten children. She enjoyed regaling her children and grandchildren with stories of her life on the farm with her brothers and sisters -tending to the farm animals, playing simple games with her siblings, and her occasional misadventures which she especially delighted in. She began her working life at Collins & Aikman as a material processor where she met her husband, Charles. They married in 1949 and were married for 57 years before his death in 2006. Blanche also worked for and retired from Wyeth Laboratories in West Chester, PA where she was a supervisor.
Always wanting to stay busy, after her husband’s death and in her early 80’s, she went to work for BJ’s Warehouse in Downingtown, PA for 5 years. She enjoyed each of her jobs and the people she met at her places of employment. Blanche was a lifetime member of the VFW Post 845 Auxiliary in Downingtown, PA.
A lifelong resident of Pennsylvania until her late 80’s, she’d often visit family living in different parts of the country from California to Florida, Louisiana, and Colorado. Her love of travel also took her to Alaska and Puerto Rico, and internationally to Mexico, the Bahamas, Ireland, Germany, Hungary, Austria, and the Czech Republic. In her later years, Blanche loved being surrounded by family, telling family stories, reliving her travels, and playing (and winning at) card games with her grandsons. Despite failing health, she never lost her quick wit or desire to enjoy people and have fun.
The family wishes to thank the nurses and doctors of Atrium Northeast for their care while she was hospitalized and the staff and nurses of Hospice and Palliative Care of Cabarrus County for their caring service to both Blanche and our family.
A memorial service to celebrate her life is planned for a later date in her hometown of Downingtown, PA.
Blanche was born in Guthriesville, Pennsylvania, on April 21, 1928, to the late William O. Beam and the late Roxanna F. Beam. She was preceded in death by her husband Charles Hilton; brothers Clarence, William, Leon, Raymond, Carl and Robert Beam; and sisters Dorothy Harple and Myra Thomas.
Blanche is survived by her daughters, Terri Gro and Kenni Doyle (Michael) of Concord, NC; grandsons Salvatore Costanzo (Erika) of Pittsburgh, PA, Joseph Gro (Seychelles) of Homestead, FL, Sean Doyle of Atlanta, GA, and Cameron Doyle of Williamsburg, VA; and great-grandchildren Kacie Costanzo, Lexi Costanzo, Charles Gro and Kara Gro. Blanche is also survived by her sister, Pauline Kenworthy, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Blanche was born and raised on a farm in Guthriesville, PA, the eighth of ten children. She enjoyed regaling her children and grandchildren with stories of her life on the farm with her brothers and sisters -tending to the farm animals, playing simple games with her siblings, and her occasional misadventures which she especially delighted in. She began her working life at Collins & Aikman as a material processor where she met her husband, Charles. They married in 1949 and were married for 57 years before his death in 2006. Blanche also worked for and retired from Wyeth Laboratories in West Chester, PA where she was a supervisor.
Always wanting to stay busy, after her husband’s death and in her early 80’s, she went to work for BJ’s Warehouse in Downingtown, PA for 5 years. She enjoyed each of her jobs and the people she met at her places of employment. Blanche was a lifetime member of the VFW Post 845 Auxiliary in Downingtown, PA.
A lifelong resident of Pennsylvania until her late 80’s, she’d often visit family living in different parts of the country from California to Florida, Louisiana, and Colorado. Her love of travel also took her to Alaska and Puerto Rico, and internationally to Mexico, the Bahamas, Ireland, Germany, Hungary, Austria, and the Czech Republic. In her later years, Blanche loved being surrounded by family, telling family stories, reliving her travels, and playing (and winning at) card games with her grandsons. Despite failing health, she never lost her quick wit or desire to enjoy people and have fun.
The family wishes to thank the nurses and doctors of Atrium Northeast for their care while she was hospitalized and the staff and nurses of Hospice and Palliative Care of Cabarrus County for their caring service to both Blanche and our family.
A memorial service to celebrate her life is planned for a later date in her hometown of Downingtown, PA.