BLANCHE GANTZ

May 16, 1921 - February 19, 2022

FUNERAL SERVICES: FRIDAY, 2/25/2022 11:00 AM at HEBREW MEMORIAL CHAPEL A LINK WILL BE PROVIDED FOR A LIVE WEBCAM OF THE FUNERAL. AT THE TIME OF THE SERVICE, PLEASE GO TO THE TRIBUTE WALL AND CLICK ON THE PROVIDED LINK. Gantz, Blanche (Ratner) aka Mrs. Dance May 16, 1921-February 19, 2022 Blanche passed away peacefully in Santa Barbara, CA three months before her 101st birthday. She lived a full, high-energy life filled with love and joy from her friends, family, and dance. She was a strong, independent, creative woman who loved socializing. Blanche grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y. and moved to Detroit at the age of nine. She was a child performer in the Catskills, singing and dancing. She continued to perform in the Yiddish Theater in Detroit as well as private clubs. Her passion was dance….tap dancing. Although money was tight at that time, there was always enough for dance lessons . By high school she earned enough to pay for private lessons several times a week at Roth/Berdun Dance Studio. At age 20, she married Harry Gantz, her love for over 60 years, and raised two children in her new Oak Park, Michigan home. She missed dancing and soon was hired by the PTA of Dewey School to teach afterschool dancing to elementary school children. News spread and Southfield and West Bloomfield Schools asked her to teach their children. She taught thousands of children the love of dance! Her slogan, “Mrs. Gantz loves to Dance”. Blanche and Harry relocated to Florida when they retired and moved into a new Century Village where Blanche soon found herself teaching dance to seniors for a few years. She didn’t find them as much fun as the children. Their last move was to Santa Barbara, CA to be near her daughter, for 15 lovely years. Blanche’s passions: Tap dancing, summers in Charlevoix MI, Florida, her children, her grandchildren, and her great grandchildren. Blanche was predeceased by her husband, Harry Leo Gantz; her parents, Nathan and Becky Ratner; and her sister, Mollie Nucian. She is survived by her daughters; Joan Rosenberg-Dent (Gantz), Linda Amoore (Gantz); son-in-law Thomas Dent; grandchildren Eric, Matthew, and Julie Rosenberg, Lisa Franchi, Cassie Amoore; and great grandchildren Gabriel, Jesse, Levi, Tazio, Arianna, and Alice. OFFICIATING: Rabbi J. Krakoff INTERMENT Clover Hill Park Cemetery SHIVA: The family will observe Shiva Privately CONTRIBUTIONS: If you would like to further honor the memory of Blanche Gantz you may do so by making a contribution to: Front Porch Communities Foundation, VDM Resident Assistance Fund (in honor of Blanche Gantz), 3775 Modoc Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93105 https://frontporch.net/philanthropy