Marie Bluem

Marie Bluem IRON MOUNTAIN - Marie White Bluem, 104, of Iron Mountain died Monday, Dec. 23, 2002, at the Freeman Convalescent Home in Kingsford. She was born Nov. 28, 1898, in the village of Iron Mountain, the third daughter of William and Josephine (Therien) White. During her childhood years the family lived on West Ludington. As a child, Marie always wanted to teach. After graduation from Iron Mountain High School in 1917, she worked at the Carnegie Public Library to earn money for college and found a job teaching 20 students in a one-room country school located between Norway and Niagara. She then taught in Sagola, Ironwood and Iron Mountain. In 1928, she married Thomas Bluem in the Cathedral in St. Paul, Minn. Tom Bluem did landscaping for many places in Iron Mountain, including the Veterans Administration Hospital and other public buildings. Marie devoted herself to homemaking and keeping the books for the expanding landscaping business. She was active in the community. She returned to teaching in 1942 and went back to school herself, receiving her bachelor's degree in 1953 from Northern Michigan College. Marie loved teaching, and after retiring in 1964, she tutored and substituted in the schools for several years. She was also active in St. Mary and St. Joseph Catholic Church in Iron Mountain, Daughter of Isabella, AAUW, Women's Club and the Duplicate Bridge Club. Marie lived on Crystal Lake from 1928 to 1996. In her later years she spent her time with her grandchildren and friends, playing cards, cooking lovely meals and warming the lives of those around her. She will be deeply missed. Marie is survived by a daughter, Mary Kay (Eugene) DeGayner of West Bend, Wis.; her four grandchildren, Eugene III (Bethanie) of Petersburg, Alaska, Thomas (Vicki) of Vadnais Heights, Minn., Marie Kuker (Steven) of Mahtomedi, Minn., and Anne Cadham (Mark) of Brooklyn Park, Minn., and 10 great-grandchildren. Marie was preceded in death by a brother, Joseph White, and two sisters, Pearl and Irene White. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday at the Erickson-Rochon & Nash Funeral Home of Iron Mountain. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. Mary and St. Joseph Catholic Church in Iron Mountain. Fr. Daniel Zaloga will offer the Mass of Christian Burial. Burial will be in Cemetery Park in Iron Mountain. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.ernashfuneralhomes.com

Marie Bluem

December 28, 1899 - December 28, 2003