Blanca Irene Alejandro Brashear Ph.D.

Blanca Irene Alejandro Brashear, Ph.D., 88 years old and wife of Colonel Eugene Brashear, USAF Retired, passed away peacefully at home on January 10^th, 2022, in Lexington, Kentucky. Blanca was born in El Viejo San Juan, Puerto Rico to the late Tomás Alejandro and María Adelina Marrero de Alejandro on August 26th, 1933. She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church, Lexington, Kentucky.

Blanca’s diverse multilingual education began as an alumnus of the Robinson School in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Balboa High School in the Panama Canal Zone; and the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico–San Germán. A lifelong teacher, she began educating the dependents of United States Airmen at Ramey Air Force Base, in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, followed by more than two decades of teaching Spanish, French and English at Hazard High School. At the age of 47 she returned to her academic pursuits, and completed her MA and PhD in Spanish at the University of Kentucky. Her doctoral dissertation, submitted in 1995, was entitled: “La metapoetica del olvido: Desmitificación y remitificación de la Nueva búsqueda en Vicente Huidobro y El ciudadano del olvido”. She was a colleague, tía, and supportive friend to her students, classmates and coworkers. Blanca’s devotion to teaching came from giving what came naturally: support, respect and dignity to all of her charges, including students at Hazard Community College, the University of Kentucky, Lexington Community College, Asbury University, Transylvania University, and privately to students of all ages and backgrounds. Her last teaching was to her great-grandchildren and her caregivers.

In addition to her loving husband of 64 years, she is survived by her two children, Deanna Jean Brashear Katko (Nick) and Thomas George Brashear; four grandchildren, Alycia Yowell-Many (Derrick Many), Ritchie Alejandro Katko (Molly Buchenberger), Justin Nathaniel Katko (Lucy Beynon), and Daniel Alejandro Brashear (Rebecca Cardenas); two great-grandchildren, Zaida Lu Katko and Noah Leland Katko; her only sibling, Doris Alejandro Kim (spouse of the late Dr. Chyung M. Kim); and nieces and nephews Eva Gail Brashear Felix (Russell), Samuel Richard Brashear, Robert Leon Brashear (Susan), Brian Kim, Warren Kim (Sharon Bing), and Leslie Kim Doehring. She is also survived by a family of students that span more than 50 years.

All services at this time are private. A celebration of life service will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations encouraged to Calvary Baptist Church, 150 East High Street, Lexington, KY 40507, and Church of the Advent, 104 West Elizabeth Street, Brownsville, Texas 78520.