Blanche Ottinger

On the lovely spring morning of March 26th, 2025, peacefully sleeping and surrounded by family, Blanche (Cooper) Ottinger (92 years old) took her last breath on earth and her first breath of eternal life.

Blanche was born January 11th, 1933, at her family’s farmhouse in Greeneville, Tennessee, to Horace and Della Cooper, and was their only child. Blanche’s father missed her birth because he heard a shipment of fresh oranges was available to purchase in a nearby town. In an attempt to appease Della’s cravings for citrus, he traveled a whole day and night to purchase the oranges. When he arrived home with the oranges, he held the bag high and proudly exclaimed, “Look, I have oranges!”, to which Della replied, “Look, I have a baby!”, as she held Blanche in the air.

Raised on a tobacco farm, Blanche learned the value of hard work at an early age. During elementary school, Blanche contracted Polio, from which she recovered. In 1951, Blanche graduated from St. James High School as co-valedictorian, alongside her dear cousin, Euna Vee (Cooper) Gray, who tied Blanche’s GPA point for point (and no, they did not cheat off each other). Following high school, Blanche completed Business College (right alongside Euna Vee) and began her first job at Magnavox.

From 1953 to 1963, Blanche dated her childhood friend’s brother, Leslie “Les” Wade Ottinger. After 10 years of dating, Les and Blanche wed on July 6th, 1963, and shortly thereafter moved with Blanche’s mother to Moab, Utah, where Les’ younger brother lived. In the couple’s spare time, they tended their many bee hives and sold honey.  While in Moab, Blanche worked at the Green River Missile Base on the Pershing Missile System Launches until 1968, when Les’ job with Frontier Airlines relocated the family again to what would become their longtime home in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Blanche quickly settled into her new city by joining a bowling league and Immanuel Lutheran Church, where she taught Pre-K Sunday School and made many lifelong friends. Blanche continued her service to her country as a civilian and was quickly employed by Sandia National Laboratories as a division secretary.

After being told by several physicians throughout her and her husband’s 18-year relationship that she would be unable to bear children, Blanche suddenly found herself pregnant. Their only child, a daughter, arrived in 1971.

Blanche proudly retired from the Labs in 1994, as her health suddenly began a mysterious decline and walking became more and more challenging. In the early 2000s, Blanche was diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome and slowly lost her mobility, which resulted in her becoming wheelchair dependent and finally, bedbound. Despite her situation, Blanche kept her high-spirited sense of humor and regularly made others laugh with her jovial comments, amazing stories, and jaunty quick wit.

Blanche was preceded in death in 2014 by her husband, Les, of 51 years. Blanche is survived by her only child, Diana Leslie (Ottinger) Lueras, her three grandchildren, Savannah Rae (Dilon) Avila, Christopher Ray Lueras, Andre Nicolas Apodaca, and by one great-granddaughter, Raelynn Marie Avila. She is also survived by two wonderful caregivers who became like family to Blanche and whom she truly loved, Tawnya Parker and Stephanie Sandoval.

Please join Blanche’s family in celebrating a life well lived at a memorial service at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 300 Gold SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102, on Saturday, June 28th, 2025, at 10:00 am, with Pastor Kear officiating, followed by a memorial butterfly release and morning tea reception. In keeping with Blanche’s love of all things blue, guests are kindly requested to forego the traditional black attire and wear blue.

                Service will be live streamed on Immanuel Lutheran Church’s Facebook page:

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