Elizabeth I (Bette) Bloom

Sep 8, 1926 – Mar 3, 2022 (95 years old)

Elizabeth “Bette” Bloom, beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, and friend, died March 3rd, 2022.

Bette and her twin sister Mary “Marie” were born to Emil and Elizabeth (Duhon) Kobza on September 8, 1926 on the family farm outside Brainard, Nebraska. She was raised on the farm with her eight sisters and three brothers. With her parents and siblings, she was part of a strong, loving and fun family of Czech heritage. She enjoyed working in the fields and doing other farm chores with her father. She attended elementary and high school in Brainard, graduating from high school in 1944. During her school years, Bette sang duets with her twin sister Marie. Their father Emil took them to singing contests held in the area.

After high school, Bette moved to Lincoln, Nebraska to attend secretarial school. She met her future husband, John F. Bloom, at a Newman Center dance on the University of Nebraska campus, where he was a student. They were married in May 1949 and had four children in five years. John changed careers from teaching to insurance, and with that, the family moved from Lincoln to Scottsbluff, Nebraska. After three years there, John was transferred to Phoenix, Arizona in 1960, where most of the family still resides. With every move, Bette left behind friendships and shared experiences.

After her husband John died in 1965, Bette went to work for several companies in Phoenix using her secretarial skills to support the family. In 1980, Bette moved to Payson, Arizona and worked for the Tonto National Forest ranger station. After retiring in 1990, she worked as a “demo” lady for Bashas Market until she was 82.

Bette is survived by her children: John (Jack) Bloom of West Jordan, Utah; Roger Bloom (Marian) of Phoenix, Arizona, Jerry Bloom (Shelley) of Phoenix, Arizona, and Marie Bloom (Dave Daniels) of Phoenix, Arizona. She was a proud grandmother to five: John Bloom (Danielle), Amanda Flynn (Stephen), Jason Bloom (Kim), Eric Bloom (Rosemary), and Katie Rituper (Mark). She also had ten great grandchildren: Brayden and Riley Bloom, Andrew and Nicholas Flynn, Mackenna and Peyton Bloom, Beckett and Gentry Bloom and Emma and Colin Rituper.

She is also survived by: her brother Bernard Kobza (Pat) of Omaha, Nebraska; sisters Helen Duffek (Richard – deceased) of Bee, Nebraska and Dorothy Lavicky (John) of Dwight, Nebraska along with many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband John (1927 – 1965), her parents Emil and Elizabeth and siblings Rose, Alice, Emil Jr., Margaret, Agnes, Marie, Gabriella and Benedict.

We want to thank mom’s care givers from Annie’s Care Home, Nicole, Nadine and Asneth, who assisted her with so much love, patience, and kindness.

Hers was a life well lived!