Rose Ann Blankenship

Rose Ann Callahan Blankenship was born to “Coo-ah” Marie Rose Spears Callahan and Cornelius Callahan on 9 April 1937 at 15623 Callahan Road, Catlettsburg, KY, the last of 13 children. Rose graduated valedictorian from Boyd County High School (1955), continued her education at Kings’ Daughter’s School of Nursing (RN; 1971), and culminated at Charleston, WV’s School of Nurse Anesthesia (CRNA; 1977). Rose married Ernest Richard Blankenship in 1956 in Bay City, MI and then later sanctified that union at Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, Ashland, KY in 1958. They were blessed with 5 children: Timothy Alan (died 2022), Ernest Dwayne (died 1959), Kristy Ann, Sherry Renee Scherer, and Mary Laura Lee. Together they loved to work, travel, play, pray, and learn. Rose and Ernie traveled to all 7 continents, marveling at the wonders God created, and took their children camping all over this great United States of America. She and her daughters also explored foreign lands together. Rose and Ernie built their house, with the help of their daughters, on a piece of the Callahan homestead, and worked to enhance its beauty most of their lives with flowers, trees, rocks, and fountains.

Rose left this mortal world on 16 September 2025 in the prayful company of Kristy Ann and her grandson Mathew Major to join her sons and husband (died 2022), her parents and siblings, our God and Savior, the Blessed Virgin, and all the saints to whom she had prayed throughout her life. She leaves as a legacy her 3 daughters, grandsons Matt &Timothy Major and Robert Lee, granddaughters Wendy & Jennifer Lee, 9 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great grandsons. These, as well as her friends, members of Sacred Heart Church, numerous nieces, nephews, her son-in-laws Michael Lee and Darin Scherer, and sister-in-laws Judy & Glenda Callahan, will now receive her love from Heaven.