Bobbie Lea Blevins

A CHAMPION for lost, stray, abused and neglected animals, our beloved Bobbie Lea Blevins transitioned unexpectedly into God’s waiting arms on Saturday, August 31, 2024. Waiting for her - by God’s side, her German Shepherd, Junie who greeted her with eager kisses as she arrived Bobbie called Louisville, KY home for over 40+ years. She is irreplaceable and leaves a huge void in our lives and a giant hole in our hearts. Bobbie was born at Fort Riley Army Base, Junction City, KS on May 12, 1956. She spent her early life growing up in Ohio, Florida, and Kentucky. She attended The University of Ohio as a freshman and graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Health Services degree in May - 1979. Starting out on the bench as a Med Tech she worked her way up through the ranks Healthcare Administration, retiring early, due to medical issues in June 2016. Bobbie was preceded in death by grandparents, Dave and Martha (Horn) Vance and Lou and Lona (Payne) Blevins. Also showing her way across the Rainbow Bridge and into Heaven were her furbabies Junie, Midnight, Baby Cakes and numerous others. Those left to cherish her memories are parents Bob and Oakie (Vance) Blevins, brothers Jim (Lisa) Blevins and Tim (Angel Morales) Blevins. Also living on are stepsons Shaun Donovan Stringfellow and children and Mark (Suzanne) Ferguson. Nieces Misty Dawn Blevins and Shelby (Dan) Sove and children Daniel and Timmy Sove. Bonus-niece Jessie (Waylon) Bryant and bonus-nephew Jason (Cheryl) Swann and children. To carry on without her are her “best little buddy”, Heidi “Puddin’ Pop” Cole, and her partner in crime, Cousin Joann (Vance) Estep. Also, those left to remember Bobbie are numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, coworkers, neighbors, friends, family and the many folks she volunteered with on the Kentuckiana Lost Dog Search and Trapping team and Dogs on the Run 502 team. Her treasured and cherished Louisville friends who were her chosen family are close and special friends Doris Ferguson, Pam Clasby, Twiala Sanders, Cheri Wells and Mike (Cindy) Egnew are left behind to carry on why “there are friends, there is family, and then there are friends that become family”. Lastly, promising to love, honor, cherish and support her, through life's ups and downs, and to grow old together is her soulmate, Mona Dee Vance. Twenty years ago, Bobbie was there to support Dee and become her co-survivor through breast cancer. Dee lovingly stepped into that same role when Bobbie’s health began declining and most recently to support her through her Lymphoma journey. Dee and their rescue furbaby, Tildy, will now endure life without their beloved Bobbie. If you never met Bobbie, you missed an incomparable friendship. If you were lucky enough to know her as many did, you were blessed beyond measure by her compassion, kindness, loyalty, deep and strategic thinking, sense of humor, and above all, an unsurpassed dedication to saving animals at all costs. Bobbie was a selfless, compassionate and fiercely devoted dog rescuer. In addition to the local dog rescues, she and Dee also volunteered with the Big Dog Big Heart dog rescue from Rochester, NY. They drove many transport legs, traveling to Central Kentucky to Central Ohio, and many places in between, to transport the furbabies rescued from southern kill shelters to their forever homes. Her calming spirit full of hope and determination would quickly shine some light on your darkest moments of searching for your lost beloved pet. Not sure who cried more reuniting pets with their owners …. Bobbie or the owners. She was an earthly Angel called home too soon for us to bear. Her tender hugs and glowing personality will be forever missed. Bobbie’s love for her family, especially at favorite gatherings like the Vance Family Reunion, Vance Family Christmas Party, Vance 4-Wheel rides or any other opportunities for her to go back to Bradshaw Mountain, WV or spend time in Pocahontas County WV. Bobbie was an avid sports fan, participating in many sports herself ranging from flag football, golf, bowling and basketball. While height was not her strong suit, she was always proud she made The University of Ohio’s girls basketball team as a freshman. Playing guard allowed her to showcase her unbelievably high vertical jump shots. She loved the great outdoors, whether she was hunting, fishing, camping, 4-wheeling or just communing with God and Mother Nature. Her true sports passion was hunting and her three idols, her Daddy and Uncle’s Virgil Vance and Hestel Vance, who taught her many valuable lessons about life in the woods. She spent many hours hunting with her Uncle Jim, stepson Mark, special friend Pam and soulmate Dee, along with cousins and friends. She especially loved deer hunting season, spending weeks on the hunting land of her cousin Zona and Jim Swann’s property. Also, a talented musician, Bobbie was a gifted singer songwriter, she played the guitar, mandolin, bass, and a little piano. While an inpatient for her four chemotherapy treatments, she met and formed a bonded relationship with her beloved Music Therapist, Kennedy. They were starting to connect with their harmonies and Kennedy had begun to teach Bobbie to play the ukulele! Those in the Louisville area who wish to say their goodbyes, can do so at Owen Funeral Home, 5317 Dixie Hwy, Louisville, KY, on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. A brief farewell ceremony will start at 6:30 PM. They will transport Bobbie to Shortridge-Ramey Funeral Home, Grundy, VA. Shortridge-Ramey will service Bobbie home to Bradshaw Mountain, Paynesville, WV September 7, 2024. Bobbie’s celebration of life will be moderated by Bobbie’s daddy, Rev. Bob Blevins. Family and friends who wish to bid their farewells can do so on Saturday evening, beginning at 4 PM at the Bradshaw Mountain Community Church 16950 Marshall Hwy, Paynesville, WV. A homegoing celebration will begin at 2 PM, Sunday, September 8, 2024, internment with generations of family and friends will follow at the Vance Family Cemetery, Paynesville, WV. In lieu of flowers, please contribute to the GoFundMe account to memorialize Bobbie and carry on her incredible work with animals. https://gofund.me/b84a38e0

Bobbie Lea Blevins

May 12, 1956 - August 31, 2024