Early in the morning of January 30th , 2023, Robert “Bob” Bloom passed away peacefully in his sleep. He was 86 years old. His mind was sharp until the very end, but his body was worn out. He’d said goodbyes to his children and grandchildren, and was ready to cross the Big Divide.
Bob was born on Christmas Eve, 1936 to Clarence “C.J.” Bloom and Helen (Skeie) Bloom in Great Falls, Montana. He graduated from Simms High School in 1955. One day in Great Falls he saw a pretty girl walking along Central Avenue and thought she looked cold, so he asked her if she’d like to have a cup of coffee with him. Her name was Janet Restelli. On July 12th , 1957 they were married, beginning a partnership that would last for 60 years until Janet’s death in 2017.
For the first 12 years of their marriage, Bob worked for the City of Great Falls at the Water Treatment plant. But his heart was always at the ranch, so in 1968 they moved the family to Simms and started leasing and buying land, slowly building their own outfit. Bob and Janet worked as a team, putting in long hours to make a go of it. They ran cattle, grew hay, wheat, and brewing barley, and raised a family. Bob also served on the Simms Volunteer Fire Department, and as a trustee on the Simms School Board, the Fort Shaw Irrigation District, and the Simms Sewer Board.
He is survived by his sons Doug (Connie) Bloom, Russ (Carol) Bloom, and Daughter Trish Martinez; grandchildren Nathan Bloom, Zeb, Jake and Maddie Bloom, and Taylor Martinez; step-grandson Terry Sullivan; great-grandson Roman Bloom, and step great-grandsons Brayden and Dayne Sullivan and step great-granddaughter Mariah Sullivan, and numerous nieces and nephews. To read the complete obituary and share condolences, visit the Croxford Funeral Home website.
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