Theresa M. Blum
February 20, 1930 — February 8, 2018
Theresa Mildred Blum
Theresa Mildred Blum, daughter of William and Anna (Rosenthal) Schulte, was born February 20, 1930 in Westphalia, Iowa. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Westphalia. She attended grade and high school at St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Earling, Iowa, graduating with the class of 1948. Theresa received her teaching certificate through Iowa State Teachers College in Atlantic, Iowa and taught country school from 1949 to 1950.
On August 24, 1950, Theresa was united in marriage to Cecil Henry Blum at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Earling. Ten children were born to this union: Jim, Mary Lou, Gary, Diane, Jeff, Rick, Nancy, Darlene, Scott, and Annette. After a short café venture in Harlan and Cecil driving a fuel truck in Avoca, they decided to make a go of farming for the next 13 years in the rural Walnut area. The first little house, with no running water inside, and the next one on a dirt road in the hills of Shelby County, proved a tough time for this town girl, as the family continued to grow. Theresa was a hard working loyal farm wife and wonderful mother. In 1965 they ended their farming careers and built a home in Walnut where Theresa worked at Dairy Sweet as a manager, then cooked and baked pies at Colonial Motor Inn and Villager Restaurant. She later worked at Walnut Community School, Walnut Public Library, where she was Assistant Librarian and a Library Board Member, and Rolling Hills Bank until her retirement at the age of 70. She was a lifelong member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church and St. Patrick’s Rosary Altar Society.
Her faith and daily prayers were a very important part of Theresa’s daily life. She enjoyed flower gardening and attending her children and grandchildren’s sporting events. Her grandchildren will always remember her for the Tootsie Roll Pops that she gave to them, her famous banana bread, oatmeal cookies and her delicious pies. She was involved with several card club groups over the years and enjoyed playing all types of cards and games. Her big smile and positive attitude impacted numerous people. Theresa loved to collect four leaf clovers. She had a knack for finding them. She was a member of the Walnut Legion Auxiliary, Walnut Amvets Auxiliary, and Walnut Red Hatters for several years. Through her work in the Amvets, she was in charge of Memorial Day flags and Americanism.
Theresa died on Thursday, February 8, 2018 at Elm Crest Retirement Community in Harlan, Iowa, attaining the age of eighty-seven years, eleven months and nineteen days. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Cecil, grandson Logan Blum, siblings Frances Irwin, Josephine Kwapiszeski, Ellen Stoll, John Schulte, Helen Carey, Lawrence Schulte, Raymond Schulte, Howard Schulte, Alice Carey, Bernice Feser and Agnes Gaul.
She has left to cherish her memory, her children Jim Blum and his wife Susan of Omaha, Nebraska; Mary Lou and her husband Fred Goettsch of Hancock, Iowa; Gary Blum and his wife Ruth of Walnut, Iowa; Diane and her husband Dan Noonan of Curlew, Iowa; Jeff Blum and his wife Nancy of Blair, Nebraska; Rick Blum and his wife Gwen of Walnut, Iowa; Nancy and her husband Mitch Osborn of Harlan, Iowa; Darlene and her husband Bob King of Bellevue, Nebraska; Scott Blum and his wife Shele of Ames, Iowa; Annette and her husband Brian Eckleberry of Omaha, Nebraska; brother Paul Schulte and his wife Agnes of Carroll, Iowa; foreign exchange daughter Louise Chan of Hong Kong; 22 grandchildren; 20 great grandchildren; 6 step grandchildren; 10 step great grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; other family members and friends.
Theresa Mildred Blum, daughter of William and Anna (Rosenthal) Schulte, was born February 20, 1930 in Westphalia, Iowa. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Westphalia. She attended grade and high school at St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Earling, Iowa, graduating with the class of 1948. Theresa received her teaching certificate through Iowa State Teachers College in Atlantic, Iowa and taught country school from 1949 to 1950.
On August 24, 1950, Theresa was united in marriage to Cecil Henry Blum at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Earling. Ten children were born to this union: Jim, Mary Lou, Gary, Diane, Jeff, Rick, Nancy, Darlene, Scott, and Annette. After a short café venture in Harlan and Cecil driving a fuel truck in Avoca, they decided to make a go of farming for the next 13 years in the rural Walnut area. The first little house, with no running water inside, and the next one on a dirt road in the hills of Shelby County, proved a tough time for this town girl, as the family continued to grow. Theresa was a hard working loyal farm wife and wonderful mother. In 1965 they ended their farming careers and built a home in Walnut where Theresa worked at Dairy Sweet as a manager, then cooked and baked pies at Colonial Motor Inn and Villager Restaurant. She later worked at Walnut Community School, Walnut Public Library, where she was Assistant Librarian and a Library Board Member, and Rolling Hills Bank until her retirement at the age of 70. She was a lifelong member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church and St. Patrick’s Rosary Altar Society.
Her faith and daily prayers were a very important part of Theresa’s daily life. She enjoyed flower gardening and attending her children and grandchildren’s sporting events. Her grandchildren will always remember her for the Tootsie Roll Pops that she gave to them, her famous banana bread, oatmeal cookies and her delicious pies. She was involved with several card club groups over the years and enjoyed playing all types of cards and games. Her big smile and positive attitude impacted numerous people. Theresa loved to collect four leaf clovers. She had a knack for finding them. She was a member of the Walnut Legion Auxiliary, Walnut Amvets Auxiliary, and Walnut Red Hatters for several years. Through her work in the Amvets, she was in charge of Memorial Day flags and Americanism.
Theresa died on Thursday, February 8, 2018 at Elm Crest Retirement Community in Harlan, Iowa, attaining the age of eighty-seven years, eleven months and nineteen days. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Cecil, grandson Logan Blum, siblings Frances Irwin, Josephine Kwapiszeski, Ellen Stoll, John Schulte, Helen Carey, Lawrence Schulte, Raymond Schulte, Howard Schulte, Alice Carey, Bernice Feser and Agnes Gaul.
She has left to cherish her memory, her children Jim Blum and his wife Susan of Omaha, Nebraska; Mary Lou and her husband Fred Goettsch of Hancock, Iowa; Gary Blum and his wife Ruth of Walnut, Iowa; Diane and her husband Dan Noonan of Curlew, Iowa; Jeff Blum and his wife Nancy of Blair, Nebraska; Rick Blum and his wife Gwen of Walnut, Iowa; Nancy and her husband Mitch Osborn of Harlan, Iowa; Darlene and her husband Bob King of Bellevue, Nebraska; Scott Blum and his wife Shele of Ames, Iowa; Annette and her husband Brian Eckleberry of Omaha, Nebraska; brother Paul Schulte and his wife Agnes of Carroll, Iowa; foreign exchange daughter Louise Chan of Hong Kong; 22 grandchildren; 20 great grandchildren; 6 step grandchildren; 10 step great grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; other family members and friends.
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