Barbara J. Bloomer

Barbara J. Bloomer, 91

Sartell, MN

April 18, 1934 – October 8, 2025

Barbara Jane Bloomer entered her heavenly home on October 8, 2025, at the age of 91 years.  A service in her memory will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, October 24, 2025, at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church, St. Cloud.  Visitation will be at the church one hour prior to the service. Private interment of her urn will be at Bethlehem Lutheran Church Columbarium. Arrangements are with Benson Funeral Home, St. Cloud, MN.

Barbara was born April 18, 1934, to Lloyd and Katherine (Luff) Bloomer in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  She grew up on the Bloomer family farm outside of Morristown, Minnesota attending public school there through 8^th grade, and graduating from Waseca Central High School in 1952.  She attended the Morristown Methodist Church which was originally founded at her grandparent’s log cabin on the Pleasant Ridge Farm.  She played organ at church during her high school years and enjoyed music her entire life.

Barbara was an avid learner throughout her life and delighted in her education as well as educating others.  She graduated from St. Olaf College with a Bachelor of Arts in English, a history minor and enough credits to be certified to teach German.  Barbara was granted a Fulbright Scholarship and headed off to Mainz, Germany to be an English conversation assistant for a year. She was awarded a second Fulbright Scholarship and taught in Vienna, Austria.  After returning to the U.S. and teaching for a couple of years in Wilmar, Barbara went to graduate school at the University of Illinois, Urbana to obtain her master’s degree.  That led to her vocation of 31 years as a professor of German at St. Cloud State University retiring in 1995.  While there, Barbara helped organize and direct the study abroad program in Ingolstadt, Germany and was instrumental in developing the St. Cloud/Spalt, Germany relationship which led to the two cities becoming “Sister Cities.”

She was extremely active at Bethlehem Lutheran Church where she served on several church boards and participated in many committees.  She was awarded the Bethlehem Lutheran Church “Bold Woman” award in 2015. Barbara also delivered meals on wheels, brought her famous pea salad to the Community Meal that her church served monthly, read newspapers for the blind on the radio, taught German at the Whitney Senior Center, and held German conversation groups at the St. Scholastica Convent and the Good Shepherd Community.  She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star whose core beliefs include charity, truth, and loving-kindness which Barbara exemplified.  She traveled many times to Germany and after retirement continued her love of travel to many other locations.

Barbara had a long love affair with rivers and took special joy in waking up every morning in her dream home with its view of the Mississippi River.  Every morning upon waking she would say, “Thank you, God, for another day of grace!”  She deeply enjoyed all the flowers, birds and animals that visited her yard.

Barbara is survived by her sister-in-law, Harlean; nephews and nieces, Russell (Merry) Thaden, Dennis Mary Jo) Thaden, Beth (Bruce) Andersland, Diane Hulstein, Brian Bloomer, Sue (Jeff) Funk, Kathy (Jeff) Blowers; cousins, Rica (Jeff) Van, Mark Jensen, Curt Lang, Susan Myslicki, Karen Thorpe; dear friend, Michael Peterson-Burr; and many great nephews and nieces.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Helen Bloomer Thaden; brother, Harold Bloomer; brother-in-law, Harold Thaden; nephew, Russell Bloomer, nephew-in-law, Brian Hulstein, and grandnephew-in-law, Mitch Olson.

Barbara was loved and respected by many people and will be dearly missed.