James 'Jim' Blomme

JAMES “JIM” E. BLOMME

Belle Plaine

James "Jim" E. Blomme, 66, of Belle Plaine, Iowa passed away Friday, Dec. 3, 2021, at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

James was born April 12, 1955, to Vernon and Mary Ellen (Collum) Blomme, in Newport, R.I., while his father was serving in the U.S. Navy. Upon honorable discharge, the family moved home to Belle Plaine, where Jim was raised and enjoyed wrestling for Belle Plaine High School until he graduated in 1974. Following school, Jim began his career in factory work. Jim worked at Tama Packing Plant, Tama Paper Co., Cedar River Paper Co., Revere Smelting and Refinery and Eagle Creek Renewable Energies, from which he retired. Before Jim's passing, he was working for Belle Plaine Community School District as a bus driver.

Jim married in 1980, where he was blessed with three daughters, Jayme, Brintley and Bailey. In 2008, Jim met Lisa LaGrange on a mission trip to Haiti. After their marriage on April 4, 2009, Jim made his home with Lisa in Monticello, N.Y. Through this marriage, Jim was blessed with stepchildren, Gio and Josh. Upon retirement from Eagle Creek Renewable Energy in December 2020 the couple moved back to Belle Plaine to be closer to family.

Jim lived a full life in Iowa, raising his daughters and being the big brother that held the Blomme family together, but it wasn't until 2006 when Jim accepted Jesus as his personal Savior that his life gained deeper meaning. Jim joined the Christian Motorcyclists Association (CMA) an Evangelistic motorcycle ministry that gave him countless opportunities to share the Gospel with others. He did this through many motorcycle events, outreaches and mission trips to Haiti and Belize. In his 15 years as a member of CMA, Jim served as vice president, chaplain and Run for the Son secretary. Jim was also a lifelong member of the National Rifle Association. His hobbies included riding his motorcycle, cooking, especially smoking meats, hunting, and watching wrestling and other sports. Jim was a member of First Open Bible Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Jim is survived by his parents, Vernon and Mary Ellen (Collum) of Belle Plaine; wife, Lisa of Belle Plaine; daughters, Brintley (Danny) Elsbury of Chelsea and Bailey Rengel of Toledo; grandchildren, Maeley, Autumn, Bowen, Joaquin and Loulou; stepsons, Giovanni Gilmore and Joshua LaGrange, both of Wurtsboro, N.Y.; former stepchildren, Brandon Lenhart of Oskaloosa and Charity Noel; siblings, Tom Blomme of Cedar Rapids, Kae (Bill) Palmer of Belle Plaine, Skeeter (Sandy) Blomme of Belle Plaine and Patti (Jerry) Henning of Hartwick; mother-in-law, Dawn DiMilta of Monticello, N.Y.; stepmother-in-law, Paulette DiMilta of Chester, N.Y., sister-in-law, Kim (Chris) Kellermueller; and many more family and friends.

Jim was preceded in death by his daughter, Jayme Blomme (2016); and father-in-law, Michael DiMilta.

Service is 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 9, at Hrabak-Neuhaus Funeral Service, Belle Plaine. Service will also be livestreamed through the funeral home Facebook page. Burial will be at Oak Hill Cemetery, Belle Plaine. Visitation is from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 8, at the funeral home. Memorials may be directed to the family. Online condolences can be sent to the family at www.neuhausfueralservice.com.