Blanche M. Hord

Blanche Vinacke MacFalls Hord died in peace in her sleep at home in Fort Walton Beach, FL on

January 8, 2020 at the age of 93. Blanche was born September 27, 1926 in Osyka, MS and married her high school sweetheart, William J. (Bill) Hord, on August 6, 1949 in Washington, D.C. Bill’s career as a U.S. Army officer took the family to eight states, plus Germany, Argentina, and Mexico. Through the many moves, Blanche’s unending love, patience, support, and optimism kept her children looking forward to the adventures of each new assignment. Blanche fell in love with the beaches of Okaloosa Island at the age of 14 during her summer vacation in 1941. Seventeen years later, she and Bill bought a lot on Okaloosa Island for their retirement home, where she lived her last 49 years. During that time, Blanche became active in many local organizations including the Okaloosa Island Garden Club; Father Jack’s Soup Kitchen at St. Simon’s On the Sound Episcopal Church; The Fort Walton Beach Panhellenic Alumnae Association (Blanche was a member of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority at University of Maryland), and others. For many years, she was an election-day poll worker at Okaloosa Island Precinct 30. She loved her family and friends, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Blanche also loved a good laugh, traveling, playing bridge, knitting, mowing the lawn, a cup of expresso in the afternoon, and wearing flip-flops.

Blanche is survived by daughter Denise Hartline and husband Rick of Lilburn, GA; son William (Rick) Hord and wife Christie of Gulf Breeze, FL; grandson Will Mockridge of Atlanta, GA; granddaughter Whitney McKee and husband Scott of Loganville, GA; granddaughters Mattie Hord and Annie Mae Hord of Gulf Breeze, FL; and great-grandsons Elias Steinberger and Hudson Steinberger of Loganville, GA. She is preceded in death by her parents Frederick V. MacFalls and Rowena Ott MacFalls of Fort Walton Beach, FL; husband Colonel William J. Hord, USA, Ret., and two sisters:  Jeanette Day of Memphis, TN; and Fay Miller of College Park, MD.

Services will be held at St. Simon’s On the Sound Episcopal Church, 28 Miracle Strip Pkwy., SW, Fort Walton Beach, FL on Monday, January 20, 2020, officiated by The Right Rev. Russell Kendrick, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast. The family will receive visitors at 12:00 PM at the church with services at 1:00 PM, followed by interment at Beal Memorial Cemetery.

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