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Jack Bloomquist
JACK BLOOMQUIST
Ladora
Jack Bloomquist, 75, of Ladora, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014, after a lengthy illness, with his family by his side at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 27, at Smith Funeral Home in Victor, with Pastor Jim Davis officiating. A visitation will be held from 2 until 7 p.m., with the family present from 4 to 7 p.m., on Sunday, Jan. 26, at the funeral home. Interment will be in Ohio Cemetery, south of Ladora.
Memorials may be directed to the Jack Bloomquist memorial fund, and sent c/o Smith Funeral Home, P.O. Box 485, Victor, IA 52347.
Jack was born March 15, 1938, to Jesse and Mildred (McGuire) Bloomquist, in Ottumwa, Iowa. He graduated from Ottumwa High School with the class of 1957. He continued his education at DeVry Technical Institution. On Nov. 29, 1958, he was united in marriage to Betty Keasling in Grand Prairie, Texas. The couple was blessed with three
daughters.
Jack was employed by Imperial Station in Ladora and Clegg Betz's farms before retiring from Amana Refrigeration after 42 years.
Jack was one of the founders of the Ladora First Responder service and a 33-year volunteer with the Ladora Fire Department. He spent many years as a weather spotter/Civil Defense member. Jack was a dedicated member of the Masonic Lodge. He served with the Scottish Rite, Knights Templar and the Iowa City York Rite.
Jack enjoyed the outdoors, including hunting, fishing and camping. He enjoyed traveling, playing bingo, solving crossword puzzles, bowling and playing rolle bolle, but his most important hobby was being with his family and attending his grandchildren's sporting events.
Jack is survived by his wife, Betty, of 55 years; daughters, Becky (Bruce) Hawkins, Cindy (Bob) Hammer and Rhonda (Brian) Ward, all of Ladora; grandchildren, Josh (Stacy) Hawkins, Adam (Susan) Hawkins, Barb Roth, Kent (Brittany) Roth, Jesse Ward and Reed Ward; stepgrand-children, Angela Hammer, Alyssa Hammer and Daniel Hammer; great-grand-children, Jordyn Beck, Lola Hawkins, Jocelyn Beck, Brenna Hawkins and Bennett Hawkins; and his cat, Socks.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and his brother, Herb Bloomquist.
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