Sondra Jane Blankenship was born on June 29, 1944, in Watsonville, California, to B.L. and Clara White. She grew up in Portland, Oregon, where she began a life marked by faith, creativity, hard work, and a deep devotion to her family.
Sondra attended Abilene Christian College, where she met the love of her life, Morris Blankenship. The two were married on August 14, 1964, and shared nearly 62 years of marriage. They began their life together in Fort Worth, Texas, where Sondra graduated from Texas Wesleyan University. She taught elementary school in Fort Worth before she and Morris moved to their farm in Deaf Smith County in 1971.
Sondra and Morris welcomed four children, and during their early years, Sondra devoted herself to raising their family and creating a loving home. She was a woman of great faith and intentionally passed that faith on to her children. Her faith was a guiding force throughout her life and was reflected in her love for her family, her dedication to others, and the values she instilled in those closest to her.
Even while living in a rural community, Sondra built a successful and accomplished career through her entrepreneurial spirit, business ability, and strong work ethic. In 1979, she opened Sondra’s Craft Corral in Hereford, Texas. From there, she continued her career in retail management and shopping mall management. In 1988, she joined Randy Putnam and Associates, where she worked as a manufactures’ representative until 2003.
Following her time with Randy Putnam and Associates, Sondra founded Sondra Blankenship, Inc. (SBI), a sales and marketing firm through which she primarily represented Lemax. Her daughter, Jenise, joined her in the business and continues to carry forward the work and legacy Sondra established.
Sondra valued family, education, travel, and her career. She had a deep appreciation for the natural beauty of the world and found joy in experiencing new places and taking in the beauty around her. Creative and artistic, she enjoyed painting and playing the piano. She was known for her wit, creativity, and ability to bring her own unique perspective to life.
Sondra is survived by her beloved husband of nearly 62 years, Morris Blankenship; her children, Jared (Sheri) Blankenship, Jenna (Mark) Howard, Jason (Kristen) Blankenship, and Jenise (Shannon) Tanck; and her ten grandchildren, Lang (Taylor) Blankenship, Lanae (Blake) Vinson, Chase (Nina) Howard, Dylan Howard, Cade Howard, Nate Howard, Emma Howard, Ben (Kyler) Blankenship, Hannah Blankenship, and Emily Blankenship. She is also survived by her two great-grandchildren, Brooks and Beau Blankenship; sister Cheryl Barnett; and brother-in-law Sidney Blakenship.
Sondra’s life was defined by her faith, love for her family, commitment to education and meaningful work, and appreciation for beauty and creativity. Her legacy lives on through the faith she shared, the family she loved, the business she created, and the many lives she touched. She will be remembered for her wit, imagination, strength, and the love she so generously gave.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to Camp Blue Haven Youth Camp https://campbluehaven. com/donations/, High Plains Children’s Home https:// www.hpch.org/giving, or New Mexico Christian Children’s Home https://www.nmcch. org/.
A Celebration of Life memorial service for Sondra will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at Central Church of Christ in Hereford, Texas. Visitation will follow the service. A private family burial will take place at West Park Cemetery under the direction of Mendez and Mullins Family Funeral Home of Hereford.
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