Yvonne F. (King) Bleistein

Yvonne F. Ansick Bleistein, loving wife, mother grandmother and great grandmother, 90, of Burke, VA, died Wednesday, July 10, 2024.  She was born March 23, 1934 in Philadelphia, and later adopted at the age of 14 by William and Georgeanna King of Temple, PA.  She graduated from high school and joined the Navy in June 1952 where she was stationed at Quonset Point, RI and worked on the clerical staff. She always commented on how she really loved the Navy and would have made a career of it had she not met her first husband, Fred R Ansick, Sr, also in the Navy.  They married January 8, 1955, and then honorably discharged from the Navy on February 21, 1955. Waves (as they were called back then) were not allowed to be married while serving their country. They moved to western Pennsylvania where they raised four children.  Yvonne turned her love for dogs into a business.  First it was Sandelwood Shelties where she bred, trained, groomed, and boarded dogs. Then when Fred Sr passed away in 1986, Yvonne made her way to the west coast and continued her passion for dogs. There she met Faye Brophy who owned a veterinary business. She went to work for Faye as the lead groomer, but this employer/employee relationship soon became a life-long friendship. Yvonne moved back to Pennsylvania in 1996 where she purchased a declining grooming/boarding business in Freeburg, PA.  She quickly built this business into a flourishing business that included retail, training, and breeding (Shetland Sheepdogs).  In 2003, her sons finally convinced her to retire from the grueling business and move to Manassas, VA but Yvonne could not get her love for dogs out of her system.  She turned her home into a makeshift kennel and continued to board, groom, train, and breed (Shelties of course) dogs and continued this part-time business well into her eighties. In September 2005 she married Harry E. Bleistein, who both had a passion for square dancing. Harry was not a dog person, but he soon became one. He had no choice if he was to live with Yvonne. They had several Shelties, many at the same time, along with all the numerous boarders that they would tend to for their clients.  Yvonne was well-known in the area for her absolute love of animals.  She was preceded in death by both her husbands, Fred Ansick, Sr and Harry E. Bleistein, infant son Jeffrey Michael Ansick, and her daughter, Georgeanna Louise Ferry.  She is survived by 3 sons, Fred and Elaine Ansick (Clifton VA), Doug and Lori Ansick (Greensburg) and Chris Ansick (Del Rio TX), stepdaughter Sue Bleistein (Springfield VA), 6 grandchildren, Chad Frye (New York), Tina Frye (Latrobe), Michaela Ferry (Latrobe), Doug Raymond Ansick (Greensburg), Cori Ansick (Port Saint Lucie FL), Michelle Ansick (Uvalde TX), 4 great-grandchildren, Jasmin Farabaugh (Latrobe), Jillian Wisneski (Latrobe) and Weston and Isla Rae Ansick (Greensburg).  Friends will be received from 6 to 8 PM Tuesday at the LEO M. BACHA FUNERAL HOME, INC., 2072 Route 130, Pleasant Unity, where a funeral liturgy will be held at 10 AM Wednesday with The Rev. Daniel L. Blout as celebrant.  Military honors by VFW Post #33 honor guard and interment will follow in St. Clair Cemetery, Hempfield Township.  In lieu of flowers, Yvonne and the family requested donations be made to The Humane Society of Westmoreland County, PO Box 1552, Greensburg PA 15601 (http://www.westmorelandhumanesociety.com/support-us/), Action for Animals, PO Box 814 Latrobe PA 15650 (http://www.afashelter.org/donate/memory-honor/) or Paws Across Pittsburgh 346 Orchard Street, Springdale, Pa. 15144 (https://www.pawsacrosspittsburgh.com/donate).  All three are 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations for the benefit of animals.  May she forever rest in peace, and I am sure there are many dogs in heaven that are happy to see her again!

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