May 9, 2010
Blanche was born September 17, 1927, in Verdigre, Nebraska, to Mary and Joseph Viterna. She was the youngest of seven children.
She graduated from Verdigre High School, May 11, 1943, at the age of 16. She then attended Boyle's College to gain secretarial skills. After graduating, between 1943 and 1946 she worked as a medical secretary in the Pathology Dept. at Bishop Clarkson Memorial Hospital in Omaha, NE, and as a secretary to the Director of Supervision and Curriculum, Dept. of Public Instruction in Lincoln, NE. In 1947 she enrolled in college to become a nurse. The majority of her studies took place at Lincoln General Hospital; however, in 1948 she received training in psychiatric nursing at Hastings State Hospital in Hastings, NE. She graduated September 2, 1949, and from there she worked as a surgical and psychiatric nurse for hospitals in Nebraska, Kansas, Ohio and Colorado. She eventually made Denver, Colorado her permanent home. In 1958 she was forced to give up full time nursing because of back problems.
From September 1958 to May 1966 she worked as an ophthalmologist nurse and medical secretary. Between July 1966 and July 1970, she worked as a medical transcriber for National Jewish Hospital and the Colorado Dept. of Health. She also worked as a medical secretary for a cardiovascular surgeon in Denver. July 1970, she went to work as a medical transcriber for the Colorado Psychiatric Hospital, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. There she remained until she retired in 1988.
Blanche loved the medical field. After she retired she remained very active; attending medical seminars and made many visits to the medical library. Even toward the end, while her mind had become forgetful, her medical knowledge never wavered.
She had many medical problems throughout her life, however, she still managed to always stay positive. She had strength to be admired. As her daughter, I was given the gift of having such a wonderful human being to call my mother. She taught me the importance of honesty and kindness, and to have a sense of humor about life even when it throws hurdles your way. She knew the importance of family and cherished the relationships she had with each and every one of them. She was my Mom, my confidant, my friend.