Ila Kate Blankenship McGuinness

Ila Kate Blankenship Berry “Katie” McGuinness, 86, of Hertford, NC, died Monday, October 28, 2024, in her home surrounded by her family. 

Katie was born in McDowell County, WV on January 23, 1938, and was the 11th of 12 children born to the late Enos and Dorcas Kennedy Blankenship. A proud graduate of Iaeger High School, Iaeger, WV, Class of 1955, she was always proud to say she was from West Virginia and a coal miner’s daughter.

An active and faithful member of St. Ann Catholic Church in Edenton, she was appointed one of the first Eucharistic ministers by the late Bishop Joseph Gossman, distributing communion in church and to the sick in their homes. At St. Ann and All Souls (a mission of St. Ann in Columbia, NC), she served as pastoral council chairperson, coordinator of Disciples In Mission (a five-year evangelization program), and treasurer of St. Ann Women’s Club for several years. She also developed and coordinated St. Ann Bereavement program. Katie loved her church and her family—her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. Katie was happiest enjoying the company of her family, friends and everyone she met.

 In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her first husband, Marine Corps Sgt. Blair B. Berry; her second husband, Marine Corps GySgt. William T. “Bill” McGuinness; her daughter, Mary McGuinness Lane; her toddler grandson, Dustin Matthew Lane; her great-grandson, 15-year-old, William Alexander Mitchell; her sisters, Maxie Lockhart, Nadine King Freeman, and Peggy Sue Swetnam; her brothers, Estel, Elmer, Walter, Theodore, Jesse, Franklin, Wetzel, and infant Richard Junior Blankenship; her nephew and adopted brother, James “Asher” Blankenship; her son-in-law, Kenny Garringer; and her grandparents, Preston and Patty Roberts Blankenship and Burbidge and Charlotte Asbury Kennedy

 Surviving are her daughters, Karen “Terry” Mitchell Garringer of Morganton, NC, and Diann McGuinness of Edenton, NC; her son and his wife, Blair B. and Kathy Felty McGuinness of Buxton, NC; granddaughters, Sarah Gedminas (Laurynas), Nichole Firth (Eddie), and Melanie Mitchell; grandsons, Lawrence W. “Billy” (Laura), Daniel E. “Danny” (Tharani), Eric B. (Mary), William T. “T.J.” Davenport (Amber), Alan R. Mitchell, and Keegan Lane; 20 great- grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.

The Funeral Mass will be held Saturday at 12 noon following the viewing at 11:15 a.m. in St. Ann Catholic Church and will be conducted by Father Jairo A. Maldonado-Pacheco. Friends and all who knew her may join the family in the church parish hall immediately following Mass. Katie will be laid to rest next to her husband in Cedarwood Cemetery, Hertford, following the reception.

Flowers may be delivered to Miller & Van Essendelft Funeral Home, 1125 Harvey Point Road, Hertford. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Ann Catholic Church, 207 N. Broad Street, Edenton, NC 27932 (On the memo, please designate for Building Fund), or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 1999, or to a charity of one’s choice.

Online condolences may be made by visiting www.millerfhc.com.