A to Z April Challenge: S is for Strole

“We need to get together more often and not at a funeral.” How many times have you and a cousin said that? Funerals are much like a family reunion. You can learn a lot about a family just by looking at who showed up. Using my grandparents’ guest books and sympathy cards, I’ll be exploring “Who came to the funeral?”

is for Strole. Blanche Marie Rucker Strole, to be precise. Blanche attended the funerals of both my grandfather in 1963 and grandmother in 1990. She was my maternal grandmother’s first cousin. I say “first cousins,” but that’s not exactly accurate. They were first cousins on their Rucker side because their fathers were brothers. However, they were also second cousins on their Eppard side because their mothers were cousins.

Blanche was the sixth of ten children born to Walter and Ada Rucker in Rockingham County, Virginia. My grandmother was understandably close to this Rucker family. The names of some of the children are so familiar to me as I remember Grandma talking about them – names like Edith, Beulah, Nellie, Lee, and, of course, Blanche. 

Blanche was born in 1905 and grew up in the Furnace #2 area of the county. She completed seven years of education, which was fairly common in that time.

In 1924, Blanche married a railroad man like her father. Willie B. "Bill" Strole and Blanche rented one half of a house on Fifth Street in Shenandoah, Virginia; the other half was rented by Blanche’s brother Frank and his wife.  Frank and Bill were both brakemen for the Norfolk & Western Railroad.

Bill and Blanche had one daughter, Doris Jean, born in 1929.  

1966 - Blanche and Bill Strole on the left
photo courtesy Jane Rosson

Bill was not the only Strole to marry into the family.  His brother Vernon Clyde married my grandfather’s cousin Pearl Sullivan. 

Sweet Sixteen doll cake by Blanche Strole
photo courtesy Jane Rosson

Blanche was a professional baker and made beautiful cakes out of her home. In researching Blanche, I met a cousin through Ancestry who sent me a number of photos of Blanche’s creations. My newfound cousin Jane Rosson is Blanche’s grandniece. Blanche made Jane’s “Sweet Sixteen” birthday cake 

Jane tosses her bouquet
from Blanche's front porch
photo courtesy Jane Rosson

Cake and flowers by Blanche
photo courtesy Jane Rosson

and her wedding cake. In fact, Jane’s wedding reception was held in Blanche’s beautiful home in Shenandoah.

Another wedding cake by Blanche
photo courtesy Jane Rosson

Jane described Blanche exactly as I remember her: “a wonderful cook and a ball of energy. She always had a smile and a laugh going on. She had a vegetable garden, a cherry tree and lots of beautiful flowers, all of which she shared with friends.” Blanche often made flower arrangements for the EUB Church where she was a faithful member.

Blanche is buried at Coverstone Cemetery in Shenandoah along with many others in my family. 

The sagacious among you sedentary spectators should slip on over to the A to Z April Challenge to scrutinize some scintillating and sardonic selections that will surely leave you feeling satiated.

© 2015, Wendy Mathias.  All rights reserved.