Olaf Blomquist

IRON MOUNTAIN - Olaf Blomquist, 96, of 115 N. Forest St. in Iron Mountain, died Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2007, at Freeman Nursing and Rehabilitation Community. He was born on Aug. 24, 1911, in Metropolitan, the eleventh of 12 children born to the late John and Maria (Jacobson) Blomquist between 1894 and 1916. Olaf attended grade school in Metropolitan and graduated from Felch High School in 1929. In 1934, he graduated magna cum laude from Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill. with a bachelor's degree in foreign languages and education. He did practice teaching at Ferris State Institute. In 1935, he graduated from the University of Illinois with a master's degree in foreign languages and education. He was inducted into the Alpha Chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, a national honor society in education. Upon graduation during the Depression, he found that vacancies in foreign language were almost non-existent and those available required five years of teaching experience. He spent one year selling life insurance, then took two Civil Service examinations, one being for a vacancy in the local post office. He started working there in July 1936. On June 29, 1939, he married Beatrice Lefebvre of Iron Mountain. They raised three daughters, Judith, Alene and Margo. In 1946, Iron Mountain High School put Spanish in the curriculum and Olaf was hired to start the program on a part-time basis. This started a period of dual employment of teaching and the post office which would last for 20 years. In 1966, Spanish enrollment had grown to where a full-time teacher was needed. Olaf was hired for that position and retired from the post office where he had worked for 30 1/2 years. He continued teaching until 1974, when he retired from North Dickinson School, to which he had transferred a few years earlier. He retired with a total employment record of 51 years. Olaf was a faithful, active member of Our Saviour's Lutheran Church where in earlier years he was a member of the church council, Sunday School teacher, and choir director. He sang in the church choir continuously from 1925 for more than 60 years, and also sang solos at funerals, weddings and special events. In the 1940s and 1950s, Olaf sang in Lion's Roar productions, Community Chorus, and Barbershop Chorus. He loved his family and stood by them in every way. He enjoyed gardening, lawn work, crossword puzzles and watching football, basketball and baseball games. He was an avid fan of the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Tigers. In former years, he enjoyed fishing and deer hunting. Olaf had a good sense of humor, including a collection of clever jokes and contributions to Reader's Digest humor section. Olaf was a lifetime member of the Michigan Education Association (MEA); National Education Association (NEA); Michigan Association of Retired School Personnel (MARSP); National Association of Retired Federal Employees (NARFE); and Golden K, where he enjoyed singing with the Golden Throats at the VA Hospital, nursing homes and community events. He is survived by his wife, Beatrice (Lefebvre); three daughters, Judith (Will) McIntosh of North Prairie, Wis., Margo (Stephen) Cousins of Marshfield, Wis., and Alene Blomquist of Ann Arbor, Mich.; seven grandchildren, Christina, Stephanie, Scott, Patrick, Corwin, Nathaniel and Amanda; six great-grandchildren, Christina, Samantha, Sabrina, Cody, Ashleigh and Lynaya; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by six brothers, Iver, William, Edward, Rudolph, Carl and Bernard; five sisters, Mary (George) Nygard, Esther (Theodore) Anderson, Gerda (Edwin) Anderson, Ellen and Linnea. All died between 1920 and 1978. Visitation will be Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Iron Mountain. Funeral services will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at the church. Rev. Stephen Cowen will officiate. Burial will follow at Cemetery Park in Iron Mountain. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Our Saviour's Lutheran Church Senior Choir Program or Dickinson Area Community Foundation at 427 S. Stephenson Ave., Iron Mountain, Mich. 49801 in care of the Blomquist Family Scholarship Fund for graduates of North Dickinson High School. Condolences may be expressed to the family of Olaf Blomquist online at www.ernashfuneralhomes.com The family has entrusted the Erickson-Rochon & Nash Funeral Home with the funeral arrangements.

Olaf Blomquist

December 5, 2007