City of Oaks Funeral Home & Cremation
Obituary
Jeanmarie Blanchard
Wilmington, North Carolina
Age 94.
Died 10/07/2025.
There are some lives that shimmer quietly—woven of curiosity, grace, and a boundless love for the world. Such was the life of Jeanmarie Blanchard (1931–2025).
Jeanmarie passed away unexpectedly on October 7, 2025, at Duke University Hospital, surrounded by the love of her family. A devoted wife to the late Thomas F. Blanchard for 56 years, she raised three children—Susan (LeVasseur), Thomas, and Eric—and later found joy in her grandchildren Jennifer LeVasseur, Christopher LeVasseur, and Heber Blanchard, her son-in-law John LeVasseur and daughter-in-law Evelyn Blanchard. Her beloved son, Thomas F. Blanchard III, sadly predeceased her.
Born in New York City and raised in Parkchester, Jeanmarie’s life was a tapestry of learning, laughter, and movement—skiing snowy slopes, gliding across tennis courts, sailing the waters of Lake St. Catherine, playing golf under wide blue skies, and filling her home with the aroma of French cooking. Her mind was ever reaching, her heart ever open.
After New York, her life’s chapters were spent in Vermont, Florida, and finally Wilmington, North Carolina, where her days were filled with the gentle rhythm of reading, reflection, and conversation. Jean found her truest comfort in the quiet beauty of her home. Mornings began with birdsong and soft light spilling across the room, where she would settle into her favorite Queen Anne–style chair, surrounded by stacks of books and the calming sound of light classical music. Her home was her sanctuary—a place alive with ideas, laughter, the scent of fresh coffee, and the hum of curiosity that defined her life.
She was proud to earn her Associate of Science degree later in life, a reflection of her deep belief that learning never ends. Jean could often be found reading, tackling word puzzles, or playing bridge, scrabble, and mahjong with friends and family. She loved the turning of the seasons—especially autumn and Thanksgiving—and a full glass of white wine shared in good company.
Her spirit could be summed up in her beloved words from Aristotle: Education is the best provision for old age. Jeanmarie believed that learning was not just for the young but for the soul—that the pursuit of understanding kept the heart vibrant.
She leaves behind a legacy of intelligence, warmth, and grace—a reminder that a full life is not measured by its possessions or years, but by the richness of one’s curiosity and love. Those who knew her will forever remember the sound of her laughter, the sparkle in her eyes when she learned something new, and the steady kindness that filled every room she entered.
And though she is gone from this world, may she now be reunited with her beloved husband Thomas, her cherished son Thomas III, and her faithful dogs Casey and Chavez—together again, beyond this life, surrounded by love everlasting.
For additional information or for service details, please reach out to the family directly.
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City of Oaks Cremation and Funeral Home is a full-service funeral home in Raleigh, serving all of North Carolina and beyond. We provide an alternative to costly funeral homes and every day we help families in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and all over North Carolina make simple, affordable funeral arrangements.
Simply having to reach out to a funeral home can feel overwhelming. Our goal is to simplify the entire funeral home experience and make the process as easy as possible. We hope to eliminate any unnecessary surprises by publishing our total cost and the services we provide directly on our website. All of our obituaries are provided free of charge as a way to help families celebrate and commemorate the lives of their loved ones.
Our Promise
Apples to Apples
Just like all other licensed funeral homes in North Carolina, City of Oaks Cremation, LLC is regulated by the NC Board of Funeral Service.
The same laws that apply to the big corporate funeral homes also apply to the modest independently owned firms like ours. All crematories in North Carolina, regardless of who owns them, are inspected annually by the state and must adhere to the same rules and laws.
Genuine Care
We're committed to providing families within our community unsurpassed service before, during and after the time of loss.
Our staff will provide clear communication to your family through each step as we move forward from the original phone call notifying us of a death to the time we deliver the urn back to your family. We will treat your family with the utmost respect, as we honor the wishes of your loved one.
We promise to make this process affordable and as endurable as possible.
State Wide
Our Funeral Home is located in Wake County NC; however, we provide our services to families throughout the entire State.
Unlike other funeral homes, we don't charge an additional mileage fee. Regardless of what county you live in, we can help your family with making simple, affordable funeral arrangements. From Asheville to Wilmington, we're proud to help families statewide.
Our Services
$1196.75
Nobody likes surprise costs added in at the last minute. We guarantee you will not find any hidden charges here. We include everything you need for a simple or direct cremation. Simple, affordable and reliable. We have not changed the cost of our direct cremation service since we opened City of Oaks in 2012.
$2875.66
We offer the option of choosing how you receive your loved ones remains. Selecting our Direct Cremation with Solidified Remains option is a beautiful way to transform cremated remains into 40-60 “stones” that you can hold.
$1917.84
City of Oaks Funeral Home and Cremation provides an affordable cremation option with onsite visitation. Nobody likes surprise costs added in at the last minute. We guarantee you will not find any hidden charges here. Simple, affordable and reliable.
$1596.75
City of Oaks Funeral Home and Cremation provides an affordable cremation with a private family viewing. A private family viewing allows up to 10 immediate family members or friends to spend time with a loved one when a public visitation is not preferred.
$2497.50
An immediate burial has the same end result as a traditional burial; however, we have eliminated the extra (sometimes unnecessary) services prior to getting to the cemetery. Not everyone wants an open casket for viewing or a limousine for the family. Despite the term immediate, we can move as fast as you need or as slow as you like. This option simply allows you to save money by eliminating some of the fancy extras at the funeral home.
$6081.48
We offer the same traditional funeral services as the big corporately owned funeral homes in the area; however, we cost about half the amount. You might consider a traditional funeral service if your family is looking for an open casket visitation, a traditional church service or a funeral service in the funeral home's chapel. A traditional funeral service can be altered to fit the needs of your family.
$3033.75
This establishment is one of a select number of funeral homes who meet the criteria for providing green funeral service by the Green Burial Council; a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization working to encourage environmentally sustainability in the field of funeral service. Our Green options allow for a funeral to take place without the use of toxic and non-biodegradable materials/chemicals.
$2640.59
As an alternative to traditional cremation, City of Oaks Funeral Home also offers Aquamation. The Aquamation process, often referred to as alkaline hydrolysis, uses a solution of water and potassium hydroxide to facilitate natural decomposition.