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Richard James Bloom passed away on April 20, 2024 at Danbury Parkside Senior Living in Westerville, Ohio.  Richard was born  March 13, 1926 to the late William and Anna Bloom of Shafer, Minnesota.  He was preceded in death by five brothers and four sisters, wife Fran and wife Terri.

Upon graduation from Chisago Lakes High School, class of ’44, he was drafted by the U.S. Navy where he served in the Philippines as a radio man on an LST Boat.  He then worked for the Colgate Palmolive Company and  United States Postal Service in Minneapolis.  

Richard then turned to his love of music and graduated from the MacPhail Center of Music, earning a degree in Music education and taught public school music in the greater Minneapolis area.  His rich Swedish background led him to direct the Swedish Girls Choir of Minneapolis.

Retirement was spent in Port Charlotte, Florida where he directed musical theater at the Port Charlotte Cultural Center.  Good at storytelling, Richard shared many fond memories of growing up in Shafer, Minnesota.  Those stories were put into  book form by niece Joyce Tarbox.

Richard is survived by his wife Alice and many nieces and nephews. 

Special thank you to Danbury Parkside Senior Living of Westerville, Hospice of Columbus, Ohio and Rev. David Redding of Central College Presbyterian Church of Westerville, Ohio.

Funeral services will be held 11 am, Saturday, May 4, 2024 at Chisago Lake Lutheran Church, Center City, MN. Visitation will be from 5-7 pm, Friday, May 3,  at Grandstrand Funeral Home, Lindstrom and continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Interment will be in Hillside Cemetery, Center City, MN. Arrangements  with Grandstrand Funeral Home, Lindstrom. Condolences may be expressed online at www.grandstrandfh. com. 

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