Mary C. (Blanda) Lord

Mary Carolyn Lord (Blanda), 76, of Grand Rapids, MI and Ocala, FL passed away at 6pm on Sunday, November 10, 2013.  “Carolyn” retired to Ocala, FL after living in Palatine for over 40 years.  This is where her children were raised, and she wanted to be buried.

Services for Mary Carolyn Lord will begin with prayers on Saturday, November 16, 2013 at 9:30AM at the Ahlgrim Family Funeral Home, 201 N. Northwest Hwy., Palatine proceeding to St. Theresa Catholic Church, 465 N. Benton Street, Palatine, for a Funeral Mass at 10:00AM.  Entombment will follow at St. Michael the Archangel Cemetery Mausoleum in Palatine, 1185 Algonquin Rd.  Visitation will be from 3:00PM until 8:00PM on Friday, November 15, 2013 at the funeral home.

Carolyn was born on September 15, 1937 in Port Arthur, Texas the daughter of the Alexander E. and Elizabeth (nee Easley) Lord and passed away on Sunday, November 10, 2013 in Grand Rapids, MI.  She was a devoted Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Educator, Chef, and Friend. Carolyn was passionate and high-spirited.  She had a great joy for life and her optimism was infectious.  She always said to her children: “In order to have a good friend, you must first be a good friend.”  We are all better for having known her.

Carolyn was a graduate of Lamar University, she was an educator at West Middle School, and had also taught while she lived in Texas.  She hosted a radio show on cooking, had a regular cooking column in The Herald, and wrote a Microwave Oven Cook Book.  During the 1980’s she also taught cooking classes at Harper College.  Her cooking masterpieces have been featured in several articles and cookbooks as her food was frequently photographed to use as illustration and example.  She was a multi-talented fun loving woman.  To leave comments for the family please go to Legacy.com or Daily Herald.com, all obituaries will be listed by last name.

Survivors include:  Alexander E. Lord (brother) and wife Marilyn; Sons of daughter, Laura A. (Blanda) Takata (deceased):  Gregory D. Takata and his wife Renee of North Aurora, IL, Sean P. M. Takata, Lane, and Trey of Bloomingdale, IL; Paul J. Blanda, Jr., his wife Donna, daughter Hillary, and grandson Aiden; and Mary L. (Blanda) Mochel, daughter Kali L. Mochel and son Alexander D. Mochel of Grand   Rapids, MI.

We would be honored if contributions could be made to the Michigan Ovarian Cancer Alliance, MIOCA.  Donations can be made to the Michigan Ovarian Cancer Alliance (www.mioca.org).  The mailing address is 5181 Pinnacle Court, Ann Arbor, MI 48108.