116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Obituaries
The Gazette publishes obituaries on a daily basis. Use the search field above to search for obituaries by name or keyword. Readers can submit an obituary or submit a milestone to The Gazette. The obituary must be submitted before 1 p.m. for publication on thegazette.com at 6 p.m. and in the daily edition the next day, with the exception of obituaries for Sunday publication, which must be submitted by 1 p.m. on Fridays.
Charles Bloomquist
CHARLES E. BLOOMQUIST
Cedar Rapids
Charles Emil Bloomquist, 88, of Cedar Rapids, died peacefully on Wednesday, July 12, 2017, at St. Luke's Hospice surrounded by his family. A visitation will be held on Sunday, July 16, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday July 17, at Cedar Valley Bible Church, with Pastor Joel DeSousa officiating. Interment will be at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery.
Charles was born Dec. 23, 1928, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, to Arnold and Mabel (Olson) Bloomquist. He graduated from Boone High School in 1946. Charles was a veteran of the Air Force, serving during the Korean War from 1948 to 1952. He moved to Cedar Rapids to work as an auto mechanic for Allen Motor Co. for 27 years. He then was owner/operator of Chuck's Carburetor in Hiawatha for 10 years.
He enjoyed playing cards with friends, horseshoes, doing crossword puzzles, traveling, and his yearly trips to Canada fishing with family. He always looked forward to Sunday dinner and coffee at his son's house.
Charles was a 50-year Mason in Mizpah Lodge 639. He was Worshipful Master in 1969. After retirement, he was a 14-year Mizpah Lodge secretary as well as a 10-year secretary and treasurer for High Twelve.
Charles is survivied by his wife of 66 years, Pamela (Neese) Bloomquist of Cedar Rapids; two children, Curtis (Gale) Bloomquist of Hiawatha and Gayle Sjoerdsma of Colorado Springs, Colo.; his beloved grandchildren, Stacey (Mitch) Glew, Lynnea Gibbs and Wesley and Caleb Sjoerdsma; along with two great- grandchildren, Meadow and Maddox Glew, who will always treasure the special times they shared with Grandpa; brothers, Harry, Dennis (Sharon) and Keith (Mary); sister, JoAnn Grimm; sisters-in-law, Kathryn Reed and Nancy Neese; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents; mother- and father-in-law, Mable and Clifford Neese; brother, Milford; sister- and brother-in-law, Phyllis and Dick Reed; brother-in-law, Leonard Grimm; sister-in-law, Lennie Bloomquist; brother-in-law, Paul Neese; and his beloved granddaughter, Katey Bloomquist.
Special thanks to Dr. James Bell, 4W staff and to the St. Luke's Hospice care team for their kind words and loving care.
Please leave a message on the web page www.cedarmemorial.com under obituaries.
Memorials may be made to St. Luke's Hospice in memory of Charles.
Daily Newsletters