Merle Blanchard, 86, passed away at his home in Placerville, CA on October 23, 2006, of age-related causes. He was born in Campbell, CA on November 16, 1919 to John Lee and Bessie Mae Blanchard.
Merle graduated from Santa Cruz High School in 1938 and worked at the Treasure Island World’s Fair in 1939, where he made the acquaintance of several celebrities of the day including Orson Wells. After the fair, he was employed by Lockheed at Burbank, CA, where he worked on the first flush-riveted P-38 fighter plane and fell in love with it.
He joined the Army Air Corp in January 1942 at Santa Maria, CA, and after receiving his basic training at Lemoore, CA, advanced to aviator cadet training in June 1942 at Williams Field, AZ. He received his wings in March, 1943, and was assigned to the 55th Fighter Group at McCord Field, WA, where he checked out in the P-38 with the 338th Fighter Squadron. He embarked for England in 1943 and flew 77 missions over France, Germany, Belgium, and Holland. He is credited with two enemy aircraft destroyed and two damaged. His decorations include two Distinguished Flying Crosses and five Air Medals. He retired in 1965 as a Lt. Colonel.
While in England, he met and married Phyllis Fabian in Shrewsbury in October 1944. They had two children, Roger and Carol. After returning to California, he sold real estate, worked for the Gilroy Dispatch for 10 years, and retired from the State of California after 20 years of service as an apprenticeship consultant.
He was preceded in death by his mother and father, his siblings Donna, Robert and Leonard, and his wife and daughter.
He is survived by his brother Norman and his wife Mary of Redding; his sister Betty Lancaster and her husband John of Hammond, OR; his son Roger and his wife Alane of Moscow, ID; his granddaughter Jennifer McGill and her husband Dale and their children Andrew, Cory, and Claire of Placerville; his grandson Jeff Schot and his wife Julie and their son Tully of Portland, OR; his grandson Jonathan Bonnette and his wife Rosa of Austin, TX; and his loving companion of the last 18 years Felicia Ramezane of San Carlos; and several nephews and nieces.
A memorial service will be held for family and friends at the Elks Lodge in Gilroy, CA from 1 – 3 pm on November 5 . The family requests that any remembrances be made to Snowline Hospice in Placerville.
