Blanche (Kortan) Steward was born September 14, 1920 at the family farm near Tabor, SD to Albert and Mary (Plavec) Kortan. In 1932, the family moved to Geddes, SD and Blanche and her two older sisters, Mabel and Della, worked at the Geddes Hotel. In 1937, at the height of the Depression, the family relocated to McMinnville, OR. Jobs were found by the family in glove and plywood factories. Blanche joined the war effort working in the Air Ambulance Corps. She eventually moved to Albany, Oregon to work in a fruit cannery and as a switchboard operator for military calls. While working on the switchboard, she met her future husband who, ironically, was also from South Dakota. She and Melvin Steward were married in Albany, Oregon on June 19, 1943.
Melvin's next duty station was Hattiesburg, Mississippi. When he was stationed overseas during World War II in 1942, Blanche moved back to McMinnville with her parents. James was born there in 1945. Melvin, Blanche and James ("Jimmy") moved to the Steward family farm on Scalp Creek six months later when Melvin returned from duty. Linda came along in 1949. Six years later they moved to nearby Fairfax, SD, where Melvin managed the Farmers Coop Elevator. Jane arrived in 1955. The family, together with Melvin's parents, Raymond and Sarah Steward, moved to the farm east of Burke in 1956.
In addition to working endless hours on the farm, Blanche worked at several jobs in Burke including Hall's Café, Burke Bowl, Burke Community Hospital, and Wilhelmsen Implement. In addition, she was a devoted caregiver not only to her children, but also to her parents, in laws, Melvin's Aunt Rose, and Melvin. She loved gardening, reading, dancing and her "casino social trips" with her friends (she bragged that driver Gary Skalla let her ride "shotgun").
Blanche cared for Melvin at home after his health began failing in 1982 until his death on August 5, 1989. She suffered a stroke at her home on the farm in June of 1998. Even though her speech was severely affected by the stroke, her unfailing optimism, positive outlook on life, and quick wit remained strongly intact. She moved to town and enjoyed living in her apartment at Parkview Manor, where she passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of March 21, 2016 at the age of 95.
Blanche was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Burke and the Burke Ladies VFW Auxiliary.
Those left to cherish her memory are her son James Steward of Longview, WA daughters Linda Steward of Colorado Springs, CO and Jane (Gary) York of Yankton, SD, granddaughter Melissa (Keith) Livingston of Eden Prairie, MN, grandson Michael York of Yankton, SD, and great grandson Maxwell Livingston of Eden Prairie, MN, as well as many nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.
Two infant sons, her parents, husband, and her two sisters preceded Blanche in death.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at 10:30 AM at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Burke, SD. Burial will be in the Graceland Cemetery, Burke. There will be a rosary on Monday at 7:00 PM at the Church. Visitation will be one hour prior to both of the services at the Church.