Services
Obituary
Blanche Sluik, 87, of Britt passed away Wednesday, July 9, 2014 at the Titonka Care Center in Tikonka.
Funeral services for Blanche Sluik will be held on Monday, July 14, 2014 at 10:30 AM at the Bethel Baptist Church, 480 Main Avenue North, in Britt with Pastor Greg Baum officiating. Burial will be at Evergreen Cemetery in Britt.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, July 13, 2014 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM at Ewing Funeral Chapel, 178 Center Street West in Britt and will continue one hour prior to the funeral service at the church on Monday.
Blanche Laveta Sluik, 87, of Britt, IA passed away on Wednesday, July 9, 2014 at the Titonka Care Center. Blanche, the daughter of Delbert James and Emma May Perkins, was born on November 14, 1926, in Britt, IA. There she attended school until her marriage to Peter Sluik on July 12, 1943 in Humboldt, IA. This union was blessed with two daughters Betty Jean, born on July 1, 1950, and Marlene Ann, born on February 12, 1958. She attended the Bethel Baptist Church where she was baptized on April 24, 1983.
She kept very busy over the years. She worked at the Ben Franklin store, took in washing, cleaned houses, and cared for family and friends who were ill. Additionally, she did secretarial work for her husband Pete during the many years that he had his body shop. She also sold Sasco products for many years.
She was best known to most as “the Tupperware Lady” and started her career in Tupperware on September 15, 1960. She was a wonderful dealer and manager and had many loyal customers. She sold Tupperware for almost 54 years and never considered herself to be retired. She earned top sales positions, gifts, and trips (including to Hawaii), as well as 17 new vehicles over the course of her career.
What made her such a successful saleswoman was her ability to talk to anyone and make them feel like a part of her family. Almost everyone who knew her remembers being called “you little pill” by her at some point in time. She was the most giving, caring, and selfless person you would ever want to meet. She along with her husband met and fed many hobos that disembarked from the trains passing near their home over the years. Their home was the center of family get-togethers and reunions for family close to home as well as around the country. She would not let anyone leave her home hungry.
She enjoyed life and loved to spend time with her family. She had many pets over the years, the most recent being her lovable kitty. She also enjoyed watching birds and squirrels eating the food she offered to them. Her favorite place to travel to was South Dakota and she took great pleasure in seeing the prairie dogs in their natural habitats. She was also an avid collector of pens and acquired hundreds over the years.
She is survived by her daughters Betty Book (Richard) of Britt, IA and Marlene Bruhns of Buffalo Center, IA; grandchildren Mike Eliason (Melinda) of Buffalo Center, IA; Andy Eliason of Britt, IA; Angela Schmitt (Rob) of Rockwell, IA; Tiffany Bruhns of Buffalo Center, IA; and Jessica Bruhns of Buffalo Center, IA; and great-grandchildren Breanna Black, Dale Eliason, and Colton Eliason.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, son-in-law Norman Bruhns, and siblings: brothers Vernon, Leonard, and Robert; half-sisters Francis Smith, Margaret Smith, Helen Hoover, Emma Butts, and Daisy Schreiber; and half-brothers Earl Smith, Leslie (Harold) Perkins, Melvin Perkins, Raymond Perkins, Rollin Perkins, and Earl Perkins.