Hubert P. "Bert" Blom

Hubert P. “Bert” Blom, 82 of Gaylord, passed away at home on Wednesday, June 2, 2021.

Born on September 5, 1938 in Amsterdam, Holland, Bert was the son of Willem and Janna (ten Brink) Blom.

Bert was a child of WWII.  His family successfully hid a Jewish couple in their home for three years - until the war was over.  He came to America at age 11 on a boat with his family.  They were sponsored by a host family that took them to Royal Oak.  Bert graduated from Royal Oak Dondero School in 1956.  Later he attended both Mcomb Community College and Henry Ford Community College, receiving degrees in engineering and management.

Bert enjoyed a long career at General Motors where he retired as an executive engineer.  He was very proud of his career and his accomplishments there, although he did not boast about it.  Bert held many patents through his work with General Motors where he was a leader in the development of seat belt restraints.  He was a General Motors man through and through.

In retirement, he moved north to a house he built in Gaylord and also enjoyed winters in Arizona.  Bert was an avid camper and an excellent woodworker.  He will be remembered as a man who could tinker and fix anything.  He also enjoyed playing pool, fishing, volunteering at the hospital, being at the “barn”, attending family sporting events, going out to lunch and watching TV.

Bert was an incredibly loyal husband who was preceded in death by his two wives, Roberta (51 years) and Patricia (5 years).  Surviving are his children, Julia Blom and Craig (Jacquelyn) Blom; a sister, Yvonne  van Vianen; a brother, Edgar (Kathy) Blom; grandchildren, Morgan (Hal) Wyrick, Jaime (Nick) Prafke, Josh (Amanda) Blom; nieces and nephews, Kristine (Scott) Gryder, Matthew (Debbie) Blom, Betsie (Ian) McKenna, Sarah van Vianen, Kimberly van Vianen, Eric van Vianen; step children, Evan Hewes, Leslie (Marty) Kadletz, Trevor (Kristen) Hewes and Heather (David) Korte; step grandchildren, Alyssa (Brandon) Peterson, Parker Hewes, Kathleen (Christopher) Sieckert, Abigail Kadletz, Jacob (Lyric) Kadletz, Colin Dunaway, Evan Dunaway, Jack Korte, Casey Korte, Caroline Korte and Conrad Korte.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 PM Tuesday, June 8, 2021 at Gaylord Community Funeral Home & Cremation Service where visitation will begin at 12:00 noon.  Interment will take place at a later date at Fairview Cemetery in Gaylord.

Please share your memories and personal messages with the family at www.gaylordfuneralhome.com