Lesya Blanchard

Lesya Blanchard (nee Bohdanivna Gritsina) of Manheim passed away unexpectedly at age 39 on 04 August 2016 in rural Pennsylvania. She was born near the steppes in Skalat, Ukraine to Bohdan and Oksana Gritsina. In 1991 Oksana and Lesya came to America. Here the mother remarried to become Oksana Kerod. A graduate of Manheim Township High School, Lesya became a devoted wife, a no-nonsense mother and a disciple of the lyric Muse. Lesya and Kevin Blanchard became a family team through the fifteen years' discoveries of their marriage. They suffered the slings, arrows and frustrations of the New World in a constant pendulum with the infant joys of parenthood's lullabies. Team Blanchard journeyed epically from the Atlantic States through Appalachia into the Deep South and unto the formidable Rockies. There they enjoyed hiking, orienteering and rock-climbing. Lesya took much solace from playing the domra and reading; her most memorable book was Quo Vadis. As their discoveries grew, so did their family. In addition to her parents she is survived by her: four sons Nazarii, Jullian and the bonus twins Bailey and Bohdon, grandmother Yaroslawa Vasylyshyn, step-father Adrian Kerod, her brothers Andrii Gritsina and Oleksander Kerod, brother in law Scott Blanchard and many other family members in the United States and the Ukraine. She was preceded in death by her husband Kevin Blanchard. We, as Lesya's family, would like to thank all the friends and professional providers on whose prayers and guidance she could rely for her body and soul through thick and thin. Friends and family are respectfully invited to attend Lesya's Memorial Service at The Groffs Family Funeral & Cremation Services, Inc., 528 West Orange Street, (corner of W. Orange & Pine Sts), Lancaster, PA 17603 on Friday, August 12, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. with Fr. Andriy Rabiy of St. Andrew Ukrainian Catholic Church officiating. The family will greet friends from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service. In lieu of flowers a Memorial Fund for Lesya’s children has been established at Lanco Federal Credit Union, 349 W. Roseville Road, Lancaster, PA 17601.

Lesya Blanchard

August 4, 2016