Blanche A. (Monteith) Hobbs

Blanche Arlene (Monteith) Hobbs passed away on May 31, 2025 after a brief illness, surrounded by her family. The eldest child of the late Lynwood and Arlene (Ketch) Monteith, she was born in Caribou, ME on September 19, 1943. Blanche grew up in a large family and shared her name with her grandmother. To keep them separate, she earned the nickname “Bunny”, which stayed with her throughout her life. She moved to Massachusetts shortly after he high school graduation. She worked for the former Forbes and Wallace department store and Hasbro/Milton Bradley, retiring in 2002. Blanche loved family, attending her grandchildren’s school events and many vacations. She was always an optimist who saw the good in people. In her retirement, she knit hundreds of hats for the homeless, donating them the West Virginia Rescue Mission. She was recognized for this with an award in 2019.

Blanche leaves behind her children Keith Hobbs (Marcia) of Wilbraham, Randy Hobbs of Hamburg, NY and Karen Joseph (Tom) of Enfield, CT; her siblings Gloria Winslow (Victor), Sylvia Tarr (Bob Knapik), Pamela Kamen (Mark), Patti Batten (George) and Derek Monteith (Sherry). Blanche also leaves her 4 grandchildren Nick Joseph (Emily), Alex Joseph (Candice), Brian Joseph and Keith Hobbs III; 3 great-grandchildren Finley, Bailey and Wesley. She was also an honorary grandmother to Dylan and Isabella Rivest. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her brothers Lynwood, Kevin and George Monteith.

Visiting hours for Blanche will be Saturday, June 7, 2025 from 9:30-11:00 AM at the Kapinos-Mazur Funeral Home, 64 Sewall St., Ludlow. MA. A funeral service will follow at 11:00 AM officiated by her brothers-in-law Rev. George Batten and Deacon Mark Kamen. Burial will private, at the convenience of the family. Donations in Blanche’s memory may be made to Disabled American Veterans at www.dav.org.