Jeanne Eileen (Balne) Blair

On January 10, 2015 Heaven gained a very special angel when Jeanne Eileen (Balne) Blair of Hardinsburg, Indiana, formerly of Blackfoot, Idaho, passed due to complications of COPD at age 74. Born September 25, 1940 in Albany, New York, Jeanne was adopted at the age of 8 months by Harry and Margaret (Gerrity) Balne. Jeanne’s parents divorced when she was three years old.  She was raised by her mother as an only child in the Mt. Vernon, NY area and attended Sacred Heart Catholic School. On Sept 13, 1958 she married Joseph A. Blair (Jay) of Knott County, KY.  To their family they added three children; Laura, Timothy, and Donald. Living a Navy wife’s life, she moved around many times and often raised her children alone.  Upon her husband’s retirement from the Navy, the family moved again to “live on a farm” in Blackfoot, Idaho.  There Jeanne went to nursing school and received certification as a LPN.  She worked at Bingham Memorial Hospital. She was an active member of St. Bernard’s Catholic Church and enjoyed singing with the choir every Sunday. In 1997, Jeanne and Jay moved again, this time settling in Hardinsburg, IN.  By August 1999, Jeanne had lost her husband due to a farming accident.  In the fall of 2003 she met Robert D. Lemmon of Georgetown, IN.  They committed their lives to each other on July 10 2004. Jeanne was an active member of Christ the King Catholic Church in Paoli, IN.  Throughout her life she enjoyed gardening, bowling, crafts, music and especially her children and her faith in the Lord. She is survived by her companion, Robert D. Lemmon, Sr. , her children; Laura (Tim) Gardner, Blackfoot, ID., Timothy (Jaye) Blair, Dyer, IN.,  Donald (Nancy) Blair, Paoli, IN, and step-son Robert Lemmon Jr. of Georgetown, IN. Jeanne was also blessed with 9 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, one great-great grandson and one great-great granddaughter due in February. Jeanne was preceded in death by her mother Margret (Gerrity) Balne, her husband Joseph Blair, and her aunt Edith Kalvatis as well as her birth mother Albertine Youmell. Visitation will be at Dillman-Scott Funeral Home in Paoli, IN on Wednesday, January 14th from 4:00 to 8:00 P.M. Funeral Mass will be at Christ the King Catholic Church at 1:00 P.M.  Thursday, January 15th,interment to follow at Paoli Community Cemetery. Until we meet again, find peace in Heaven’s hands. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Life Family Resource Center of Orange County Indiana.