Roy Johannes Bloom, 89

Roy Johannes Bloom, 89, passed away on Saturday, June 1, 2013, at HealthCenter Northwest in Kalispell. 

He was born on June 13, 1923, in Anaconda to Victor C. and Hilma (Johanson) Bloom. Roy’s mother passed away when he was 2 and he was sent to live with his aunt who lived in Shelby. When he was 12 years old his aunt passed away and he returned to Anaconda to live with his father and continue school. He rode a horse to school in many cold Montana winters. 

Roy was in the Conservation Corps and started working for the Anaconda Co. as a bellhop at the Marcus Daly Hotel in Anaconda. At 18, he started working at the smelter as a laborer. 

At 20, Roy enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served his country during World War II. He went to boot camp at Farragut, Idaho, and then boarded a ship on the East Coast and went to Brazil. After being home on liberty, he went to Bath, Maine, and boarded the USS Drexler and passed through the Panama Canal bound for the South Pacific. During the Battle of Okinawa, the Drexler was hit by suicide bombers and sunk in 49 seconds, accounting for many casualties. Roy was honorably discharged a month later.

Roy went on to attend diesel engine school in Miami and returned to Anaconda where he worked at the smelter and in Butte at the geological department. He worked for Anaconda Co. for a total of 41 years. 

Roy married Phyllis on Aug. 24, 1973, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He retired and moved to Kalispell in 1984 where he enjoyed gardening, fishing, walking in the mall and morning coffee with friends at Bojangles, Sykes and Cislos. He also enjoyed several special trips on group bus tours and as a family. 

He was also very honored to join the veterans that participated in the 2012 Big Sky Honor Flight to Washington, D.C.

Roy was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, one sister and a granddaughter, Megan Marie Ramstad. 

He is survived by his wife, Phyllis; daughter, Terri, and Greg Postell; granddaughters, Kaitlyn and Taylor Ramstad; and his sister, Erma Morse.

Visitation for Roy will be from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, June 7, in the Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Chapel. Graveside services for Roy will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery with Pastor Tim Bartholomew of Stillwater Free Lutheran Church officiating. Military honors will be by the United Veterans of the Flathead.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like to encourage memorial contributions be made in Roy’s name be made to Big Sky Honor Flight of Montana. 

Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for Roy’s family. You are invited to www.jgfuneralhome.com to view Roy’s tribute wall, offer condolences and share memories.