Blanche Harmon Keilman 1916 ~ 2016

SWAN VALLEY - What a life. It began on Sept. 24, 1916 in Panhandle, Texas daughter of Rollie Guy and Malvina Jane Harmon. By Blanche's high school years, her family moved to Amarillo, where she graduated from Amarillo High School at the age of sixteen. She attended Amarillo Junior College, before her family moved to Clovis, New Mexico.

She worked as a clerk at Clovis Army Air Field, where she met Myron Keilman, who was helping form the 392nd Bomb Group (H), which was equipped with B-24s. They were married on the June 26, 1943, just before Myron deployed with the 392nd to England. Myron flew twenty-five missions with the 392nd, took a leave in October 1944 to return Stateside, before returning to the 392nd and flew an additional eighteen missions before the war ended.

After the war, Myron stayed in the Air Force. Then it was off to the races: There were assignments from Fort Walton Beach, Florida to Tokyo, Japan to Hickam Field, Hawaii to Rome, New York with stations in between. Myron would attain the rank of Colonel and they retired in Sacramento.

Along the way, they had three children, Guy, Kathrine (who died soon after birth) and Geary.

Myron and Blanche spent their retirement years rotating between their cabin on Holland Lake in the magnificent Swan Valley of Montana and Sacramento, with numerous journeys in between.

Myron folded his wings Feb. 13, 1998 and Blanche joined him March 11, 2016. What a team they were: Through fifty-five tumultuous years of marriage they made adjustments and gave Guy and Geary what so few children have nowadays: A whole family.

Blanche is survived by her two sons, Guy and Geary; her two daughters-in-law Mary and Laurie; her granddaughter Annie; her one remaining sibling Helen Gene Harmon of Clovis, New Mexico, as well as numerous nephews and nieces and grand nieces and grand nephews.

This is also a time of Gratitude. We would like to thank Laura Sherwood and Iris Lopez and their caring and devoted staff at the Cedars Care Home in Calistoga, Calif. We would also like to thank the parishioners of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and the Sisters of Holy Assumption Monastery for their numerous visits with Blanche. Additionally, we appreciate Richard Hayman (RICHARDS) and Clive Richardson (CALISTOGA ROASTERY) for their courtesy and kindness that they showed Blanche. We would also express our gratitude for all of Blanche's friends in the Swan Valley of Montana that kept her in their thoughts and prayers these past years even as her visits to the Valley ended.

Memories and notes maybe left at Claffeyandrota.com