Kayleena Danielle (Blankenship) Lounsbury

Kayleena Danielle Blankenship Lounsbury departed her mortal life on Sunday, April 25, 2021 at Mease Countryside Hospital in Safety Harbor, FL.

Born November 7, 1993 in Logan, WV, she made her presence known for 27 short years by her infectious personality, boisterous laugh, and giant smile that would light up a room.

If you were one of the many people that Kayleena loved, you often had no doubt as to the extent of her feelings. She loved fiercely and stopped at nothing to make sure those in her life knew. From the students she taught, to the people she met in each stage of her life, love was in abundance.

She knew from an early age that she was destined to be a teacher. She dedicated herself to pursuing higher education to advance her students, in recent years, completing a Master’s in Education—Reading Specialist from Concord University and was working toward a Doctorate of Education from Grand Canyon University. Several excellent mentors set her on a path for her life’s work. She spent eight and a half years in classrooms at Iaeger Elementary School in McDowell County, WV, and Calusa Elementary School and Cypress Elementary School in New Port Richey, FL. In each of those classrooms, Kayleena let her love and passion for education and writing shine. The minds she molded will go on to change the world. She lived her life as an educator following the same motto: “Be diligent in believing that what we do in the classroom could possibly echo for a lifetime in the heart of a student.” We will continue to see those echoes for many generations to come.

She loved to teach her students to write because she was a born writer. From an early age, she kept notebooks and journals full of her writing—her thoughts, poems, short stories, plans and dreams—all tucked away in the pages of her books. She loved the beach, and after moving to Florida, could often be found there, tanning, and maybe watching for dolphins. She was also madly in love with her husband, Cooper. In the few short years that she knew him, their love for each other was obvious to anyone around them. She was at home with him wherever they were. Their love produced a beautiful baby, Macie Lynell—a perfect baby, who followed her mother to their Heavenly home. Her greatest goal was to become a mother and she saw that come to fruition in Macie. Even before her birth, Kayleena was a wonderful mother to her daughter. She lived her life to the fullest and was so incredibly happy.

Like the love she gave, Kayleena was loved by so many in return. She was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Everette Monroe and Melva Mounts Tiller, her maternal aunts, Belinda “Jeannie” Angle, and Jowana Kennedy, and her paternal grandmother, Evelyn Blankenship, and her loving cousin, Tyler Hatfield.

In addition to those lucky enough to call her friend, those left to grieve her passing include her beloved husband, Cooper Lounsbury, of New Port Richey, FL; her parents, Audie and Stephanie Blankenship of Hanover, WV; her sisters, Melva Brianna Blankenship of Hanover, Ashlee (Jarrett) Cline of Wharncliffe, WV; two amazing nieces, Reagan Kinlee Davis and Kaybrie Reece Cline, both of Wharncliffe; her paternal grandfather, Homer Blankenship, of Browning Fork, WV; her loving in-laws, Glenn and Robyn Lounsbury of Castleton-on-Hudson, NY; her sisters-in-law, Sarah Lounsbury and Kaitlyn Lounsbury, of Castleton-on-Hudson, NY; and a host of special friends.

Friends may gather with the family Saturday, May 1, 2021 from 12:00 till 2:00 pm at the Freedom Full Gospel Assembly House of Prayer where funeral services will commence at 2:00 pm with Pastor Katie Endicott officiating.  Burial will follow in the Justice Memorial Gardens Cemetery at Justice, WV.  Kayleena and her daughter Macie will be carried to their resting place by pallbearers: Matthew Huffman, Bradley Blankenship, Brandon Blankenship, Aaron Wilson, Blake Lockhart, Trey Lockhart, Robby Newberry, Ashton Cline, and Jarrett Cline.  Honorary Pallbearer will be Kaiden Baker.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that Kayleena’s passion for teaching be shared with gifts for classroom libraries at two of the schools she taught at—Iaeger Elementary and Cypress Elementary.

Iaeger Elementary c/o Lounsbury Classroom Library 182 Waters Street Iaeger, WV 24844

Cypres Elementary C/o Lounsbury Library 10055 Sweet Bay Ct New Port Richey, FL 34654

Her wonderful smile and gentle heart will be greatly missed by all who were fortunate to have known and loved her.

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