Wilmer “Junior” Blomgren
Wilmer “Junior” Blomgren
Wilmer “Junior” Blomgren
November 29, 1938 – June 22, 2022
Ottumwa (Lovilia), Iowa | Age 83
Served With Honor ~ United States Military Veteran
Wilmer Junior Blomgren passed away in Ottumwa, Iowa, at his daughter, Lana’s, house in the care of Everystep Hospice on June 22nd, 2022. Junior was born on November 29th, 1938, in Lovilia to Wilmer and Susie Blomgren in his childhood home.
Junior grew up in a loving home with his five siblings – Mary Sue, Sharon, Sherry, Jerry and Judy. Growing up, Junior enjoyed spending time with his family, especially playing hide and seek with his siblings.
He graduated from Lovilia High School in 1957, and was drafted in the Army, where he served as a medic in the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1963.
Junior met the love of his life, Barbara Orr, and the couple married on December 12th, 1969.
Junior enjoyed carpentry work and maintained employment at Maytag as a journeyman carpenter until his retirement in 1998. He continued using his carpentry skills well after retirement, as he enjoyed helping others with building and remodeling projects.
Junior and Barbara enjoyed hosting many family gatherings at their home in Lovilia, spending evenings out dancing and going on road trips with their daughter, Lana.
He enjoyed many hobbies, one of which was gardening, and he loved sharing the fruits of his labor with his family, including his three grandchildren whom he visited frequently. Junior also enjoyed helping others in the community, seeing his friends at the Legion in Albia, and in most recent years, loved spending time with his neighbors Ashley, TJ and Liam.
Junior was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Albia and attended Saturday evening services every weekend with his stepmother, Edith.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Wilmer and Susie; stepmother, Edith Blomgren; loving wife, Barbara; grandparents, Emanuel and Matilda Blomgren and William and Rose Waters; infant sister, Marilyn Blomgren; sisters, Mary Sue Slay and Sharon Speck; nephew, Kevin Bunch; brother-in-law, Robert Clark and sister-in-law, Corrine Blomgren.
Junior is survived by his daughter, Lana (& Steve) Helm of Ottumwa; three grandchildren, Donovan (& Kat) Helm of Belleville, WI; Connor Helm of Ottumwa; Taylor (& Jordan) Boyenga of Kalispell, MT; sister, Sherry Clark of Centerville; brother, Jerry Blomgren of Ottumwa; sister, Judy (& Bill) Jones of Albia; family friend, Connie Clark of Oskaloosa; and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be on Friday, July 1st, at Tharp Funeral Home in Albia from 2-8pm with the family present from 5-8pm.
Funeral services are at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, July 2nd, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Albia with Rev. Ronald Myers officiating.
Burial with military honors provided by the American Legion of Albia, Melrose and Lovilia will follow services at Oak View Cemetery in Albia. Luncheon will follow the burial at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.
The family will donate all memorials to the Welcome Home Soldier Memorial in Albia and EveryStep Hospice in Centerville.
To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Wilmer “Junior” Blomgren please visit the Tharp Funeral Home Sympathy Store.
