Blanche Coombs Shropshire

Blanche Coombs Shropshire, 88, of Philadelphia, PA, formerly of East Point, GA and Williamsville, NY, died on March 26, 2017.

She is predeceased by her husband, (Dr.) LeRoy Shropshire and is survived by her daughter, Karen Yancey (and her husband Michael, and sons Michael and Alex), son Lawrence, and daughters Pamela and Jennifer. Additionally, Mrs. Shropshire is survived by her brothers, Fletcher (Helen) and Wallace (Judy) Coombs of Atlanta, GA, and other loving family members.

Blanche attended Oglethorpe Elementary School and Spelman College before graduating from St. Augustine College in Raleigh, NC. She obtained a Master of Social Work degree from Atlanta University. Blanche worked as a social worker for Catholic Charities on the West Side in Buffalo, NY before she retired. She worked for the American Red Cross in Korea and Japan during the Korean War writing articles about service men to send to their hometown newspapers.

Formerly, she was a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Atlanta GA, Calvary Episcopal Church in Williamsville NY, and St. John’s Episcopal Church in College Park GA.

Friends are invited to gather for a memorial service on Saturday, May 6th at 1:00 PM at St. Mary’s Cathedral Road, 630 E. Cathedral Road, Philadelphia, PA 19128 followed by a reception from 2-4 PM in the Presser Lounge of Cathedral Village (600 E. Cathedral Road).

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Blanche may be made to the Southern Poverty Law Center (www.splcenter.org), 400 Washington Avenue, P. O. Box 548, Montgomery, AL 36101-0548. 

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