The University of Kansas

Ruth Ann Blanchard
Ruth Ann (Hamilton) Blanchard, 80, of Kansas City, Kan., died Nov. 2 at Stormont-Vail Regional Health Center in Topeka after a brief illness. She was an assistant professor of physical therapy in the School of Allied Health at the KU Medical Center from 1974 to 1991.
Blanchard attended Washburn University in Topeka and received a bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University. She earned her master’s degree in physical therapy education from Stanford University in 1948.
She received the Amoco Outstanding Classroom Teaching Award in 1979 and the Norton Distinguished Teaching Award in 1984. In 1987, KU physical therapy students gave her special recognition as their “finest teacher.” She retired after 18 years at the KU Medical Center. She was a member of the Kansas Physical Therapy Association and the American Physical Therapy Association. Survivors include two sisters, Dorothy E. Fun and Helen H. Barnes, both of Topeka, and nieces and nephews.
The family suggests memorials to the Ruth Blanchard Memorial Fund at the Physical Therapy Education Department of the KU Medical Center.

Andrew D. Mitchell
Andrew (Andy) Davis Mitchell died at his home in Prairie Village on Nov. 23. He was an instructor in urology at KU Medical Center until 1952, when he became a diplomat of the American Board of Urology. Mitchell earned bachelor’s, master’s and medical degrees from KU.
He later entered private practice with his partner, Raymond (Bud) W. Stockton, and practiced medicine at St. Luke’s Hospital until retiring in 1987. After retiring, he taught anatomy and physiology at Penn Valley Community College School of Nursing.
Mitchell is survived by his wife of 31 years, Arlene Milberger Mitchell; his daughter, Melissa Finstead; his sons, Andrew (Drew) Werner Mitchell and Sam Ware Mitchell; and seven grandchildren.
The family requests that donations be made to St. Luke’s Hospital Foundation for Medical Education, Planned Parenthood or St. Luke’s Shawnee Mission Hospice.

John Joseph James Talleur
John Talleur, professor emeritus of art and honorary print curator, died Nov. 27. Talleur was known for bringing the printmaking program to KU. He had retired after more than 40 years of teaching.
He was born in Chicago in 1925. He received his bachelor’s degree from the Art Institute of Chicago in 1947. In 1951, he earned a master’s degree from the University of Iowa, where he studied with Mauricio Lasansky. He received a Fulbright Fellowship in 1953 for study in France. Later that year he joined the faculty at KU.
Talleur’s etchings and paintings have been the subject of numerous exhibits at KU. His works were also exhibited around the United States and abroad, including the exhibition “Surrealism: An American Attitude” at the Thomas McCormick Gallery in Chicago earlier this year. He received the Kansas Governor’s Arts Award in 1998.
Survivors include daughter Ann Talleur, Lawrence, and two grandchildren.

Robert Lamberton
Robert Lamberton, 78, died Nov. 13 at Overland Park Regional Medical Center. He taught engineering at KU.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothy Grove Lamberton; sons Bill Lamberton, Watkins Glen, N.Y.; John Lamberton, Kansas City, Kan.; and David Lamberton, McLean, Va.; daughter Rebecca Mann, Arlington, Va.; brother Chris Lamberton, Miami; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
The family suggests memorial contributions to Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City, Kan.