Blanche J. Haertsch, 100, of Dumont, passed away peacefully at the Veterans Memorial Home at Paramus.
She is survived by her children, Susan and her husband, William Davis; Joseph and his wife, Steffany; and Michael and his wife, Joan; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her son Jeffrey; her husband, Joseph (1977), with whom she shared 29 years of marriage; her sisters Marian, Frances, Joan, and Betty Ann; and her brother Joseph.
During World War II, at the age of 17, Blanche traveled to Philadelphia, PA, to train as a welder at Bok Vocational School. This training enabled her to become a “Rosie the Riveter” at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, where she worked for 18 months. She received a certificate from the American Rosie the Riveter Association in commemoration of her distinguished service as a working woman during World War II.
Following her wartime service, Blanche enlisted in the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps to pursue her passion for becoming a registered nurse. She received her training at Germantown Hospital and Medical Center and worked at the U.S. Marine Hospital in Staten Island, New York.
Prior to her retirement, she worked at Woodcrest Center for 14 years. She participated in the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study for 44 years and the Women’s Health Initiative Study for 20 years.
Blanche was an alumnae charter member of Germantown Hospital and Medical Center and a member of AARP #1873, Dixon Homestead Library, Dumont Seniors, and the Northern Valley Widow & Widowers Club.
She led an active life and enjoyed traveling, taking cruises, dancing, gardening, sewing, cooking, baking, and reading. Her passion for dancing at the Northern Valley Widow & Widowers Club led her to meet Captain Anthony Parsons, with whom she shared a loving companionship for 21 years.
Blanche lived a long and eventful life, leaving behind a lifetime of memories and experiences. She will be remembered by her family and friends and missed by those whose lives she touched.
She was most proud of her service to this country.
Visitation Saturday, November 14, 2026, 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon, with a Catholic Blessing at 11:45 AM at the Frech-McKnight Funeral Home, 161 Washington Avenue, Dumont. Interment to follow at George Washington Memorial Park, Paramus