Blanche Antoinette (Larson) Studer

January 16, 2023

Blanche Antoinette (Larson) Studer passed away January 15, 2023, in Bonners Ferry. A memorial service will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday, January 28, at the United Methodist Church, 6568 Lincoln Street, Bonners Ferry, with a reception following.

Our dear mother and grandmother was born to Harvey Vincent Larson and Gladys Viola (Lanning) Larson on June 6, 1933, in McLeod, North Dakota.

On October 21, 1951, Mom married our father, Bennie Walt Studer, in Kalispell, Montana. They shared 53 years and had four children: Brad, Brent, Brenda and Belinda. After retiring, Ben and Blanche built a “Swiss Chalet” home in Bonners Ferry, residing 12 years together until Ben’s passing in 2004. Blanche remained there for 19 more years.

She kept very busy with community events. She was a member of the Community Hospital board, the United Methodist Church, the Fry Foundation, Beta Sigma Phi, Book Club, the Pinochle Club, the Cancer Support Group and her beloved golfing group at Mirror Lake Golf Course.

Mom spent 39 of her years being employed, beginning as a teenaged car hop, and continuing as a legal secretary, a title company escrow agent, and finally, the vice president for the same title company. All the while, Mom was also involved with 4-H and all Ben’s activities as Boundary County Extension Agent, which included hundreds of potlucks.

Those who remain to cherish her happy memories are her children: Brad and Coral (DeWilliam) Studer, Brent and Verna (Rice) Studer, Russ Dirks and Belinda and Don Driscoll, grandchildren Ben Studer, Tim Studer, Alisia Studer, Kalahan (Poulton) Copley, Kourtni (Poulton) Russell, Billie Poulton, Kevin Poulton, Katy (Studer) Hoxsey, Matt Stewart, Brian Stewart, Zach Dirks and Cameron Langlow 23 great-grandchildren, four great-great-grandchildren and many relatives and friends. She always put our happiness before her own.

Preceding her in death were both her parents and siblings Arlene, Ardith, Harvey Jr, Byron, Kermit, Robert and Johnny, husband Ben Studer, daughter Brenda (Studer) Dirks and great-granddaughter Angela Marie Poulton.

Memorials can be sent to Fry Healthcare Foundation at Boundary Community Hospital.