Roenah “Rena” Marie Mantle Blank was raised by her grandparents, Jess Mantle, a third generation pioneer, and his wife Bess.
Rena’s parents Rex and Stella (Curry) Mantle divorced and Rex was drafted into World War II leading her to live with her grandparents. She enjoyed living on one of the more than 200 dairy farms dotting the Sequim area.
The Jess Mantle home was at Mantle’s Corner, now Peninsula Nursery, on 200-plus acres owned by Jess.
This acreage afforded the opportunity to have several horses while Rena grew up and she ideally could ride each day.
She graduated from Sequim High School in 1955.
Being from a family who believed in higher education, she was given the opportunity to go to WSC (now Washington State University).
She left school after one year to marry Bill Blank, her high school boyfriend (a 1952 Sequim grad). They moved to Port Angeles where they raised their children Randy, Cheryl and Deanna.
For 30 years in Port Angeles, Bill worked for the railroad and Rena worked for PenPly and Rayonier.
In 1987 the couple built a home on West Sequim Bay on property homesteaded by Bill’s grandparents. Bill passed away on July 15, 2019.
Rena remains active with Trinity United Methodist Church in many roles, and served for 11 years on the Shipley Center’s board.
“It really means a lot,” she said about being chosen as a pioneer. “It recognizes the pioneers in our community are not forgotten and still valued.”