Obituary for Wilma Lenore Blackman (Bellinger)
Wilma Lenore (Bellinger) Blackman, 94, was born on October 16, 1926, to David and Dorothy (Johnson) Bellinger in the Vernon Road family farmhouse near Rosebush.
Wilma is survived by son Bruce (Sandra) Schrock of Mt. Pleasant, daughter Marcia Schrock Collins of Port Huron, step-children Beverly Saller, Robert (Kay) Blackman, grandchildren David Schrock, Katelin (Nate) Dennis, Shannon Collins, Stephanie (Matthew) Koshay, Mark (Kris) Saller, Michele (Scott) Miller, Matthew (Sheba) Saller, Jeffry (Maria) Blackman, Jessica (Eric) Payne, nineteen great-grandchildren, and seven great-great-grandchildren, brother Page (Sandra) Bellinger, nieces, nephews, cousins and caregiver Becky Granger.
Wilma was preceded in death by her husband C. Lyle Blackman, brother Harland E. Bellinger, her parents, nephew Bradley Bellinger, granddaughter Angela Schrock and sons-in-law Bruce Saller and Kevin Collins.
As a child, Wilma studied in the Herring County one room schoolhouse and graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School, working for her room and board in town to save transportation costs. She earned her Registered Nursing Degree from the Saginaw General School of Nursing in 1948, while participating in the Cadet Nurse Corps, though WWII ended before her training was completed.
After graduation, with three nursing friends, she traveled via car to Los Angeles, California, and obtained a job as a surgical nurse. Upon her return to the Mt. Pleasant area, she was employed at Central Michigan Community Hospital for 13 years, serving on the surgical nursing staff and became the supervisor of surgery. Wilma married Kenneth Schrock in 1950 and had two children, Bruce and Marcia. She later married C. Lyle Blackman and they were married twenty-one years. She was employed at Central Michigan University Health Services for twenty-seven years becoming the first nurse to receive Emeritus Status from CMU. She loved working as a nurse and enjoyed being involved with the students of CMU.
Prior to health challenges and moving to assisted living at Crestwood Village, Wilma enjoyed gardening, and was a member of First United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women; the Wesleyan and Mary Martha Circles, the General Federation of Women, the Mid Michigan Quilters Club, the Herb Club, served many board terms for the Green Tree Cooperative Grocery and was a charter member of the Mt. Pleasant Toastmasters International.
Funeral Services for Wilma will be held at the First United Methodist Church on Tuesday, August 10, 2021, at 4 p.m. with Rev. Joseph D. Huston and David Schrock officiating. The family will receive friends on Monday, August 9 from 5-8 p.m. at Clark Family Funeral Chapel and on Tuesday at the church from 3 p.m. until the time of the service. A luncheon will follow at the church. Interment will take place at Woodland Cemetery following the luncheon. In lieu of flowers the family suggest donations be made to the Saginaw General Hospital (SGH) School of Nursing Alumni Assoc. for nursing student scholarships.
Wilma is survived by son Bruce (Sandra) Schrock of Mt. Pleasant, daughter Marcia Schrock Collins of Port Huron, step-children Beverly Saller, Robert (Kay) Blackman, grandchildren David Schrock, Katelin (Nate) Dennis, Shannon Collins, Stephanie (Matthew) Koshay, Mark (Kris) Saller, Michele (Scott) Miller, Matthew (Sheba) Saller, Jeffry (Maria) Blackman, Jessica (Eric) Payne, nineteen great-grandchildren, and seven great-great-grandchildren, brother Page (Sandra) Bellinger, nieces, nephews, cousins and caregiver Becky Granger.
Wilma was preceded in death by her husband C. Lyle Blackman, brother Harland E. Bellinger, her parents, nephew Bradley Bellinger, granddaughter Angela Schrock and sons-in-law Bruce Saller and Kevin Collins.
As a child, Wilma studied in the Herring County one room schoolhouse and graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School, working for her room and board in town to save transportation costs. She earned her Registered Nursing Degree from the Saginaw General School of Nursing in 1948, while participating in the Cadet Nurse Corps, though WWII ended before her training was completed.
After graduation, with three nursing friends, she traveled via car to Los Angeles, California, and obtained a job as a surgical nurse. Upon her return to the Mt. Pleasant area, she was employed at Central Michigan Community Hospital for 13 years, serving on the surgical nursing staff and became the supervisor of surgery. Wilma married Kenneth Schrock in 1950 and had two children, Bruce and Marcia. She later married C. Lyle Blackman and they were married twenty-one years. She was employed at Central Michigan University Health Services for twenty-seven years becoming the first nurse to receive Emeritus Status from CMU. She loved working as a nurse and enjoyed being involved with the students of CMU.
Prior to health challenges and moving to assisted living at Crestwood Village, Wilma enjoyed gardening, and was a member of First United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women; the Wesleyan and Mary Martha Circles, the General Federation of Women, the Mid Michigan Quilters Club, the Herb Club, served many board terms for the Green Tree Cooperative Grocery and was a charter member of the Mt. Pleasant Toastmasters International.
Funeral Services for Wilma will be held at the First United Methodist Church on Tuesday, August 10, 2021, at 4 p.m. with Rev. Joseph D. Huston and David Schrock officiating. The family will receive friends on Monday, August 9 from 5-8 p.m. at Clark Family Funeral Chapel and on Tuesday at the church from 3 p.m. until the time of the service. A luncheon will follow at the church. Interment will take place at Woodland Cemetery following the luncheon. In lieu of flowers the family suggest donations be made to the Saginaw General Hospital (SGH) School of Nursing Alumni Assoc. for nursing student scholarships.