Blanche L. Horton, age 92, of Yankton, South Dakota, died Dunday, June 28, 2009, at Avera Sister James Care Center in Yankton.

Funeral services will be 11:00AM on Wednesday, July 1, 2009, a the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton with the Reverend Terry Port officiating. Bruial will be in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Yankton. Visitation is Tuesday from 3:00 to 8:00 PM with the family present from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton.

Pallbearers will be Daryl Kostroun, Damon Kostroun, Robert Kostroun, Chris Ellston, Ronald Horton, and Mike Ellston. Honoray pallbears will be all of her great grandchildren.

Blanche was born Feburaru 28, 1917, to Henry and Amalie (Faatz) Pastian in Herrick South Dakota. She grew up on the family farm near Herrick and attended country school just south of Herrick. She married Orval "Vern" Horton on March 14, 1936 in Colome, South Dakota. After their marriage, they moved to Rupert, Idaho. One of Blanche's proudest achievements was, while working in the potato fields in Idaho, earning $1.50 a day, she saved enough money to buy a brand new ironing board, which she used for the next 67 years. They also owned and operated a cafe in Idaho, until moving back to South Dakota in 1947. They moved to Yankton in 1954. Blanche worked as a waitress for many businesses in Yankton, including: the American Cafe, Coney Island Cafe, Kochi Steakhouse, Our Place Cafe, Riviera Cafe, the Chateau, and the VFW. She also worked at Cimpl Packing Co., Dale Electronics, and the Yankton Daily Press and Dakotan. She also sold Avon for 24 years, from which she received many awards.

She was a member of the Moose Lodge, VFW Auxiliary, and Calvary Baptist Church. She enjoyed quilting, needlepoint, sewing, reading, playing solitaire, and cooking. She was known in the community as a very positive and giving person. Oftentimes sharing her Avon with others and helping the less fortunate with their financial difficulties.

Survivors include her six children; Ronald (Reiko) Horton of Durham, North Carolina, Dan (Frankie) Horton of California, Edward Horton of Kansas City, Judy (David) Doyle of California, Merry (David) Kostroun of Yankton, and Sherry Horton of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; 17 grandchildren, Debbie, Diane, Denise, Nancy, Mike, Lisa, Musashi, Fujika, David, Jenny, Alicia, Jacob, Bruce, Gary, Daryl, Rob, and Heather; 19 great grandchildren; two sisters,Viola (Lyle) Christensen of Gregory, South Dakota, and Florence (Woody) Werner of Bridgeport, Nebraska; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Orval "Vern" Horton on November 181 1990; Daubhter, Carol Ellston; son-in-law, David Kostroun; grandson, Craig Howes; six brothers, Floyd, Harry, Iven, Bob, Ray, and Reuben Pastian; four sisters, Vera Manshiem, Agnes Thomas, Irene Pastian and Elizabeth Pastian.