FRANKLIN - Kathryn (“Kathy”) Louise Blanton (nee SLOAN), 68, unexpectedly passed away on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022, following medical complications from a fall and declining health.
Born In Fort Pierce, Florida, she was the daughter of the late Jo Ann Sloan (nee Raulerson) and Thomas Leighton Sloan. She had a very eventful childhood growing up on a 23,000-acre cattle ranch, Cow Creek Ranch. In 1970, the family purchased a vacation home and 300 acres in Tellico, where many enjoyable summers and winter holidays were spent.
Kathy was always the wild child. She lived life on “her terms” and would tell you that when she met you. She loved life, always had fun and spent time with family and the many friends she made during her lifetime.
Throughout her life, Kathy’s goal was to spread joy and make people smile, frequently with the unexpecting stranger. During the last three decades of her life in Franklin, Kathy was surrounded by love and laughter from all her younger family members. She proudly recounted everyone’s full names and birthdates in order, which is how she would often introduce herself – one measure of the importance she placed on her family. She will truly be missed by each and every person whose lives she touched.
She is preceded in death by her husband Steven Blanton. She is survived by three previous husbands John Marion Edgar III, Thomas Aden Lee Summerlin of Williston, Florida, and Joel James Burman; sister, Debra Sloan of Tellico; daughters, Alexis C. Bell of Tampa, Florida, Tara L. Breeden of Franklin, Myrna A. Summerlin of Driggs, Idaho and Grace L. Summerlin of Gainesville, Florida; grandchildren, Erika Moses of Clinton, South Carolina, Kaija Graves of Driggs, Idaho, Shayla Cope of Franklin, Tristan Graves of Sylva, Cheyanna Bell of Charlotte, Kyler and Addison Summerlin of Gainesville, Florida, and Lathea, Mariah and Ava Breeden of Franklin; and beloved great-grandchildren, Kiley, Kaden, Kaylen, Keightly Moses and Kason O’Neal of Clinton, South Carolina, and Emma Tyte, Andrew, Roman and Caroline Wisman of Franklin.
A celebration of life will be held on a date forthcoming. The family wishes to acknowledge the kindness and compassion shown to our beloved Kathy by the entire staff at CarePartners Hospice in Asheville.