Dick Bloomquist

Reynold Richard Dick Bloomquist was born March 18, 1918, to Arnold L. and Bertha G. (Noren) Bloomquist on the family farm in rural Brown County. He was baptized and confirmed into the Lutheran faith at East Sveadahl Lutheran Church, rural St. James. He was educated in rural School District #36 and then helped his father on the family farm. He entered the United States Coast Guard in 1940 and served on various ships and bases, including Erie, PA, Garibaldi, OR, and the Aleutian Islands during World War II. While home on leave, he met and later married Alice Knudson on December 27, 1945, at the East Sveadahl Lutheran Church parsonage. He completed his military service in 1946 and he and Alice returned home and lived in LaSalle where he was a mechanic with his brother, Vernon, at Bloomquist Bros. Garage. They later moved to Estherville, Iowa, to again own an auto mechanic business with his brother, Norman. During these years he and Alice became parents of their three daughters, Jacquelyn in 1948, Jeanne in 1949 and Joyce in 1952. The family returned to the St. James area in 1956, and Dick soon became a mechanic and school bus driver for Bloomquist Bus Service. They helped design and build their own home in St. James where they lived from 1961 until 1998 when health problems made it necessary to move to a smaller residence and then to Pleasant View Good Samaritan Center where he resided at the time of his death. Dick and Alice were long-time members of East Sveadahl Lutheran Church, Dick since his baptism in 1918. They became members of Augustana Lutheran Church in 1963 where Dick served on various church boards and as an usher. He was also a lifetime member of VFW Post #33 and the American Legion #1914, serving as commander and as a member of the colorguard. When he retired from charter bus driving with Lake Crystal Bus Service, which took him to many parts of the country, he spent much of his free time volunteering on Legion remodeling projects. He was named the Watonwan County Senior Citizen in 1994. Dick's hobbies included managing and coaching Legion baseball, fishing, camping, family vacations, playing the harmonica, and spending time with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Dick is survived by his wife of 60 years, Alice; daughters, Jacquelyn Jackie and husband, Randy Mensing, of Broomfield, CO, Jeanne and husband, John Miest, of St. James, and Joyce and husband, Dave Estes, of Jefferson, NH; grandchildren Amy (Paul) Hoernemann, Jennifer (John) Feriancek, Jeff (Kim) Mensing, Darrick (Kari) Miest, Bobbi (Craig) Baumann, and Julie Mensing; step-grandchildren, Holli (Richard) McKinnon and Brandy (Bill) Bolens; 9 great grandchildren and 2 step-great-grandchildren; sister, Eunice Wiken; brother, Lowell and wife Janet, Bloomquist; sisters-in-law, Bernette Bloomquist, Caroline Bloomquist and Edna Thompson; numerous nephews, nieces, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, father- and mother-in-law, Hjalmer and Bertha Knudson, brothers, Vernon and Norman; sisters, Jeannette Helling and Elois Holmquist; sister-in-law, Bernice Olson; brothers-in-law, Julian Helling, Alwyn Wiken, Jerry Holmquist, Donald Thompson, Herman Olson, and Clarence Knudson; nephews LeDale and Marlin Helling, Bruce Holmquist and Steve Olson; and niece Eldora Uhde. Dick passed away on Sunday, May 28, 2006, at Pleasant View Good Samaritan Center he was 88 years old. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials in Dick's name to the Mt. Hope Cemetery Avenue of Flags or Augustana Lutheran Church memorial funds.