BLUEFIELD — Rita Gail Blankenship Jenkins, 66, of Rt. 3 Box 279, Bluefield, W.Va., passed away on Wednesday, September 03, 2008, at her residence.

She attended Nemours Baptist Church, and was a resident of Freeman for 46 years. She was a graduate of Pocahontas High School. Mrs. Jenkins was a retired school teacher after 30 years of service at Bramwell Head Start.

She was born on July, 23, 1942, in Asco, W.Va., to the late Cal A. Blankenship and Vonia Mary Ann Street Blankenship.

She was preceded in death by one brother, Hubert Donald Blankenship, and two sisters, Helen 'Ruby' Aamodt and Judith Kay Hagy.

Mrs. Jenkins is survived by her husband of 47 years, Kenneth Lee Jenkins of the home; two sons: Kenneth Dale Jenkins and wife, Brenda of Bluefield, W.Va., and Shawn Lee Jenkins and wife, Sherrie of Bluefield, W.Va.; two brothers, Roy Blankenship of Bluefield, Va., and Kenneth R. Blankenship and wife, Anna of Bluefield, Va.; four grandchildren: Brent Alexander Jenkins, Kendra Leeann Jenkins, Abigail Jordyn Jenkins, and Zackary Shawn Jenkins.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 06, 2008, at the Ceres Baptist Church at 1:00 p.m. in Green Valley, W.Va., with the Rev. James Mooney officiating the service.

Burial will follow the service at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Bluewell, W.Va.

Friends and family may call at the Cravens-Shires Funeral Home in Bluewell, on Friday, September 05, 2008, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and may call one hour prior to the funeral service at Ceres Baptist Church.

Serving as pallbearers will be Shane Blankenship, Jeff Mercer, Denny Ray Jenkins, Dusty Jenkins, Larry Jenkins, Mike Hagy, Larry Ferguson, Wilson Butt, Doyle Sandifer and Jay Barringer.

The Cravens-Shires Funeral Home is serving the Jenkins Family.

Published in the Bluefield Daily Telegraph on 9/5/2008