Raymond Charles Bloomquist passed away on March 27, 2023, from metastatic colon cancer. Ray was born to John and Elsie (Merry) Bloomquist at the Vancouver Memorial Hospital.
He grew up in Carson, Washington, developing a love for raising all manner of farm animals and his love for fishing. But not one to wear a straw hat and have a piece of hay stuck between his lips, Ray traveled to the big city of Seattle to attend the University of Washington and graduated with a degree in civil engineering. Stone and Webster Engineering promptly hired him and sent him to Virginia where they were building a nuclear power plant.
He met a southern belle, Margaret (Tyler), in Richmond, Virginia, and they were married. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Dec. 9, 2022.
Ray and Margaret moved to the Pacific Northwest, and in a couple years, Ray moved on from his engineering job and ventured into the world of the self-employed by starting a logging company. Time and the spotted owl ran its course on the logging industry, so Ray and his good friend Mike Fisher started an asphalt paving company, Precision Paving. After 26 years and at the age of 67, Ray retired and sold Precision Paving. He returned to his straw hat and piece of hay to become a "hobby farmer" raising a few angus cattle.
Ray is survived by his wife, Margaret; daughters Stacey Johnson (Eli Johnson), Carla Bloomquist (Ben Johnson) and Sonia Aaseth (Wes Dierdorff); and seven grandchildren, Ailie, Luke, Callie, AnnaLee, Leland, Loki and Wiley. He is also survived by sister Lynda Bloomquist and brother John Bloomquist (Jan Bloomquist).
In his free time, Ray enjoyed fishing, crabbing, his many good friends, neighbors and business acquaintances. He will be dearly missed by all.
A private graveside service was held on April 1, 2023, at Elim Cemetery for the immediate family.
