Passing of Good Friends

Laura Jo Blanchard, Assistant Coordinator of the Wilmington Day Program, died during surgery after being hit by a pickup truck while walking to work on July 1, 2010.

Laura was born on March 30, 1949 in Halls, Tennessee. As the oldest daughter, Laura spent most of her youth caring for her four siblings, possibly setting her on the path to the work she so loved.

After graduating from high school in Bellflower, California, Laura went on to study early childhood development at Canada Junior College. Although she held a variety of jobs throughout her life, Laura especially loved working with the youth at Stoddard County Juvenile Detention Center in Bloomfield, Missouri, and the students at Lois Allen Elementary School in Reno, Nevada.

Laura moved to Utah in 2002 where she acquired a job with TURN Community Services, formerly Easter Seals Utah. While her official title was Assistant Coordinator, Laura’s work included being a secretary, caregiver, data entry specialist, artist, inventor, motivator, advocate, mentor and friend. When asked to describe Laura, some of the words used by coworkers and the people she served were “kind, understanding, loving, and a sister and mother to all.”

Laura lovingly shared her home with her daughter, Joy, and two of her five grandchildren, Nimue Laura and Steven.

Alan Craig Pederson lived, worked, and played with great persistence and fervor. Born in Logan, Utah on September 17, 1956, Alan moved from his family home to American Fork at age ten. After two or three years, he transitioned into one of Provo’s earliest group homes.

Alan began receiving TURN residential services in 1986 through one of the agency’s apartment programs in Salt Lake City. Later, he moved to Whitehead apartment program where he lived until June 2008, when he relocated to the Bountiful Group Home due to medical and aging issues.

A steadfast man, Alan was employed at North Temple Sutherland’s Lumber Company as a Customer Service Representative, where he worked for the past 16 years. He loved bicycle and Harley motorcycle riding, camping and river trips, Jazz games, music and dancing, Karate and bowling, and vacations. Alan departed this life on July 18, 2010
after a short illness.

Employees and friends at TURN Community Services extend their condolences to the families and friends of Laura and Alan. Knowing each of them enriched our lives, and we remember them with fondness and great joy. They will be missed.