Lorraine E. Bloomquist

Lorraine Ethel Colson Bloomquist, Ed.D., FACSM, slipped quietly away on April 15, 2023. Lorraine was born in 1932 in Boston to Svea Zachrisson Colson and Ralph Colson. Her love of athletics and physical activities started in her youth and continued until her final hospitalization. When planning her recent move to Minnesota, a major criterion for a new living space was access to a pool, so that she could continue swimming on a daily basis.

Her interest in exercise and how the body works fueled her educational pursuits. Lorraine was a full-time homemaker for 12 years and then returned to college, earning her Bachelor of Science (Magna cum Laude) and Master of Science degrees from the University of Rhode Island, and her Ed.D from Boston University. Her higher education included membership in the Honor Societies of Phi Kappa Phi and Kappa Delta Pi.

Lorraine was a professor of Exercise Science, Department of Kinesiology, at the University of Rhode Island from 1967 until her retirement in 1994, after which she taught part time until 2008.  Dr. Bloomquist was active in the American College of Sports Medicine, serving as president of the New England Chapter and on the Board of Trustees, ultimately being inducted as a Fellow of the College in recognition of her longstanding service.

In her extensive travels, Lorraine published, presented papers, and taught physical activities for the disabled in the USA, the Dominican Republic, Sweden, Spain, Brazil, and Portugal.

Lorraine was proud of her Swedish heritage and was an active board member of the Vasa Order of America and the Rhode Island Swedish Heritage Association. She interviewed Swedish immigrants to Rhode Island and published their stories in the Swedish-American newspaper, Nordstjernan. Upon her move to Minnesota, later in life, she was enthusiastically involved in many activities and exhibits at the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis. Lorraine was surprised (and slightly mortified) when a recent Ancestry DNA test revealed that she had Norwegian ancestry in addition to her Swedish heritage.

She moved to the Park Shore 55+ community in St Louis Park, Minnesota, in 2018.  There, she became active in the community, attracting new friends with her enthusiastic nature. She participated in singing groups, swam daily, attended lectures, took yoga classes, and became well known for her dedication to the environment. She took special interest in the small lake on the property, tidying up the walking paths every day and delighting in the wildlife that was abundant outside her back door. She was especially happy to indulge her decades-long interest in the birds and water fowl that inhabited the green space.

A lifelong love of music and a beautiful singing voice inspired Lorraine to participate in several church choirs during her lifetime. Upon her arrival in Minnesota, Lorraine became a Sweet Adeline by joining the Twin Cities Show Chorus. She was a beaming presence on stage with the chorus.

Her grandchildren have fond and grateful and sometimes hilarious memories of their travels with their Farmor. She was an energetic traveling companion who loved new experiences and meeting new people. She had an unexpected goofiness that would come out on occasion to surprise you.

We will miss Lorraine’s unending curiosity and vitality.

Lorraine leaves behind sons and daughters-in-law Stephen and Faith Bloomquist of Edina, Minnesota; Peter and Prathum Bloomquist of Thailand; Mark and Jeanne Bloomquist of St. Louis Park, Minnesota; her five grandchildren and their spouses: Annikki (Peter Nash) Bloomquist; Dana (Sille Lindeberg) Bloomquist; Andreas (Rebecca Higney) Bloomquist; Edward  Bloomquist; Martin Bloomquist; and four great-grandchildren: Sasja, Katja, Sixten, and Owen; many cousins, nephews, and nieces in the USA and Sweden;  and her very special companion Jim McDonald.  She is preceded in death by her parents, her brother Warren Arvid Colson, and nephew Roger Colson.

Visitation June 29 4:00 – 7:00 PM at Gearty-Delmore Funeral Chapel, 3960 Wooddale Avenue South, Saint Louis Park, MN 55416

Memorial Service June 30 at 11:00 AM (visitation prior at 10:00 AM) at Edina Community Lutheran Church, 4113 West 54th Street, Edina, MN 55424

Donations preferred to: St. Andrew Lutheran Church, 15 East Beach, Charlestown, RI 02813 https://www.standrewri.org/ (401) 322 - 0088

Memorial service is available both live and recorded at:  http://www.facebook.com/edinacommunity or https://www.youtube.com/@eclccinema/streams