Blaine E. Bloomgren

MISSOULA ~ Blaine E. Bloomgren, 95, of Missoula, passed away Wednesday, July 5, 2023 at The Auberge At Missoula Valley in Missoula.

Blaine was born at home on the family farm in Springvale, Minnesota August 2, 1927.  He was one of five children of Alvin and Helga (Sodergren) Bloomgren, three older brothers and one younger sister.  They have all preceded him in death.

The family farm was an excellent place to learn that successes meant many hours of hard dedicated work.  Blaine like many young boys in the area was expected to take the place of older individuals as they left the farms to do their part in the war effort.

Blaine attended elementary school in an all class one room school in Springvale and graduated from Cambridge High School.  His three older brothers in the army and he enlisted at seventeen years old in the United States Navy.

Returning to Minnesota after his discharge from the navy was only for a short term.  In 1948, he decided that career forestry was his calling.  Through the efforts of the University of Minnesota, he found employment with the Forest Service in Troy, Montana.  With his overall work ethic and ambition, and the advice of individuals he respected, he decided that he may be better suited in the private sector.  He was hired in to an entry level position with J. Neils Lumber Company, through mergers later St. Regis Paper Company and finally Champion International.  This turned out to be a rewarding forty-five year career.  While at Libby, he worked at many levels of administration and management and was named Logging and Forestry Manager there in 1970.  In 1974, he and Ellen were asked to go to Maine to be Resident Manager of a new mill.  He loved the opportunity to be involved with a mill situation and with the aid of many individuals was able to make it a valuable asset to the corporation.  He found real joy having the opportunity to be involved in most of the timber areas in the United States, and special assignments in Sweden.  Most of his time was spent in the timberlands and wood supply area, but found it to be very interesting time involved in lumber manufacturing for five years at the mill in Maine.  Wherever Blaine was, he made a real effort to meet all the people he was involved with.  Through his involvement in industry association activities, he became well known and a respected member of the industry.  He also served on industry and civic advisory boards in Maine and Montana.  In 1979, he was named General Manager of the Northeast Timberlands Division, later Vice-President, and retired in 1993 as Vice-President of Western Timberlands Operation here in Missoula.  He was selected and recognized as Forestry Pioneer by Montana Forestry Division (DNRC) in 2015.

Blaine was a long term member of the Lutheran Church.  In Libby and Maine, he was very active in congregational leadership.  He was active in civic affairs wherever they lived.  He and Ellen delivered Meals on Wheels in the Missoula area for over twenty-three plus years.

He married Ellen Norris on July 3, 1950 in Kalispell, Montana.  They raised two daughters, Janet and Christina.  Janet died in March, 2017 from complications from surgery.  He is survived by his wife Ellen of Missoula; one daughter, Christina (Rich) McElmurry of Missoula; one son-in-law, Dennis Fox of Hardin, Montana; five grandchildren, Nora of Spokane, Washington, Susan and Derek Schafer of Ritzville, Washington, Patrick and Holly Fox of Helena, Montana, Blaine and Kristine McElmurry of Missoula and Catherine and Travis Walker of Missoula and thirteen great-grandchildren.  His wife and family members have always been a very important part of his life.

Burial will be at Saturday July 29, 2023 at 12pm at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Missoula.

His funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 29, 2023 at First Lutheran Church in Missoula.  Pastor David Renfro will officiate.  reception will follow the service at the church.

Memorial donations may be made to First Lutheran Church in Missoula or to the University of Montana Foundation, the Blaine and Ellen Family Scholarship.