The obituary had been updated with the memorial service information.

Mrs. Blanche Hyde Radhe Heston, age 107, of Roanoke, VA, went to be her Lord and
Savior on August 5, 2022. She was born March 15, 1915 in Clearspring, MD, to
Charles A. Hyde and Blanche Rhodes Hyde. Mrs. Heston was the last of nine Hyde
children. At the age of 12, she was baptized into the Brethren Church where her father
was a member; her mother was a member of the Church of God. She attended public
school in Maryland and graduated from Hagerstown, MD High School in 1933 and
Strayer Business College in Washington, DC, with honors in 1934. Following her
schooling she was employed by the Federal Government’s National Archives and later
at the Federal Housing Administration, now HUD, where she was one of the first 500
employees in each agency.

In 1935, Blanche joined the Church of the Pilgrims (Presbyterian Church USA) in
Washington, DC. In 1944, she married Eric R. Radhe, who died in an airplane crash in
1959 while on a special mission for the Army Map Service of our government. In 1949,
she was called to serve as the secretary to the senior minister at the Church of the
Pilgrims, a position which she held for 22 years. As a member of the Presbyterian
Church (USA), she has served in various leadership positions, including Elder, Clerk of
Session, Deacon, President of Presbyterian Women from whom she received a life
membership award

In 1971, Blanche married Walter E. Heston, Ph.D. who was a scientist at the National
Institutes of Health. Walter preceded her in death in 1998.

Mrs. Heston had the privilege of serving her denomination as a Lay Commissioner from
Peace River Presbytery to the 1983 General Assembly in Atlanta, GA. It was at this
General Assembly that the Presbyterian Church in the US and the Presbyterian Church
in America merged as a single body into the Presbyterian Church (USA). She also had
the opportunity to serve her church by being a representative for the Presbysterian
Women to the church-wide Triennium gathering in Iowa in 1991. Blanche was active in
Church Women United in Washington, DC, Fort Myers, FL, and Roanoke, VA, having
been a member of each of these churches throughout the years. While living in
Washington, she established the DuPont Circle-Georgetown Chapter of the AARP.
After moving to Fort Myers, and as a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church, she
served as Chair of the Board of the Covenant Learning Center for Children in that city.
Also, as members of that church, she and her husband, Walt, hosted international
students and scientists on numerous occasions, supported newly arrived refugee
families, and worked with Habitat for Humanity. She loved and served her Lord and
His church in any town in which she and her husband lived.

After leaving Fort Myers, she and husband Walt moved to Bradentown, FL, where they
lived for a few years. In April 2000, following her husband’s death, she moved to
Roanoke to be near her family. Situated in her new home, she once again became very
active in her church, First Presbyterian Church, where she became a Deacon and a
volunteer at the Presbyterian Community Center. She also served on the President’s
Council of Brandon Oaks Retirement Community where she resided.

Mrs. Heston is survived by five generations of family and many friends who loved her.
She brought joy and optimism to everyone she met. A private inurnment will be held at
Evergreen Cemetery in Roanoke, VA.

A memorial service will be held at 12:00 noon on Tuesday, August 16, 2022 at First Evangelical Presbyterian Church on Jefferson Street.

Memorial gifts may be sent to First Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 2101 South Jefferson, Roanoke, VA 24014 or Presbyterian Community Center, 1228 Jamison Ave, SE, Roanoke, VA 24013.