Andrew Allan (Drew) Blanchard, 74, of Manchester, Missouri, passed away on May 4, 2019, at Mari de Villa Senior Living, Town and Country, Missouri. He was born August 7, 1944, to Raleigh Thomas (Sr. ) and Ruth Del Porto Blanchard in Erie, Pennsylvania.
He and Sharon Arnzen were married on September 23, 1992. She survives. Drew received a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematics from Georgia Tech University in Atlanta, Georgia, and a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
During his lengthy professional career, he worked at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Banquet Foods Corporation, McDonnell Douglas (Boeing), Ralston Purina, and, finally, retiring from Computer Sciences Corporation in 2012. A proud Veteran of the United States Navy, Drew served as an Engineering Officer on the U.S.S. Little Rock and taught mathematics, for two years, at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. In addition to his wife, Drew is survived by a daughter, Jenifer (Bill) Clifton; sons, Jonathan (April) Taylor and Benjamin (Amber) Taylor; and grandchildren: Briana and Liam Clifton; Jackson and Joshua Taylor; and Conor Taylor, all of Manchester, Missouri.
Drew also leaves behind two sisters: Amy (Bob) Kieffer of Pikeville, Tennessee, and Jeanne Blanchard of Palm Coast, Florida. Also, brothers and sisters-in-law: Bennie (Tom) Blanchard, of Scarborough, Maine; Lana (Ervin) Arnzen, of Kelso, Missouri; Dorothy and Rick Green of Whitewater, Missouri; Douglas and Lois Arnzen, Leo and Tammy Arnzen, and Albert and Cindy Arnzen, all of Leopold, Missouri; and Helen and Steve Thomas of Coral Springs, Florida; as well as many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Raleigh Thomas (Tom) Blanchard, Jr.; his nephew, Raleigh Thomas (Tom 3) Blanchard, III; brother-in-law, Ervin Arnzen, Jr.; niece, Jessica Arnzen; and nephew, Taylor Arnzen.
The Funeral Mass is scheduled for Thursday, May 9, 2019, 11:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Valley Park, Missouri, with The Reverend Father Patrick Christopher, The Reverend Father Denny Schaab, and Reverend Deacon Charles Snyder as celebrants. Drew will be interred in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, on Friday, May 17, 2019, in a private family service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a Veterans’ charity of your choice.
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