Pearl E. Blair, 91, of Mendota died July 30, 2016, in her home.

A Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in Holy Cross Church, Mendota with the Rev. Peter Pilon officiating. Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery, Mendota.

Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Wednesday in Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota with a rosary at 3:30 p.m.

Pearl was born Oct. 16, 1924, in Mendota to Charles and Katherine (Walzer) Sondgeroth. She married Ralph Sterchi on Nov. 27, 1943, and he preceded her in death in 2002. She later married Leslie Blair, who also preceded her in death.
Pearl was employed by various businesses during her lifetime.

She and her husband, Ralph, owned and operated Sterchi's Trucking. She was the first female truck driver for Del Monte Corp. in Mendota. Pearl also drove a school bus for 20 years. She and her sister, Bernice Corrigan created the crown for the first Sweet Corn Festival queen. She also was a volunteer for the Red Cross Bloodmobile and Mendota Area Senior Services. Pearl lived life to the fullest and was very happy spending time with her family.

She is survived by one daughter, Sandy (Warren) Bauer of Mendota; three grandchildren, Rachel (Mike) McCarty, Amber Bauer and Nicholas Bauer; two great-grandsons, Sean and Rylan McCarty; and three brothers, Robert (Mary) Sondgeroth, Cliff (Geri) Sondgeroth and David (JoAnn) Sondgeroth, all of Mendota.

In addition to her husbands, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Rita Miller and Bernice Corrigan; and two brothers, Lester Sondgeroth and Gene Sondgeroth.

Memorials may be directed to American Cancer Society, Mendota Area Senior Services or Holy Cross School.