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<p><em>Michael Donald Blom</em> Sr. was born in Minneapolis, MN on May 24, 1953 and grew up as an avid tennis player. The family built a court in their backyard, and the high school team would sometimes practice there. He was on the high school debate team and enjoyed using those debate skills (sometimes known by others as argument skills) throughout his life. No one can say what inspired him to attend West Point, but it was the only college application he submitted. He was determined that was where he was supposed to be and, by every measure, he was correct.</p>
<p>Mike had two passions during his years at the Academy: tennis and Rosemary, his constant companion. He was a member of the German Club during his plebe and yearling years and won the brigade championship in tennis in his junior year. Academically, he was one of the Dean’s true challenges, but he pushed steadily through it all and was branched into Air Defense Artillery upon graduation. He was incredibly proud of being a West Point graduate. He returned to Post many times, when his in-laws were still in New York, to tour the campus with his kids and share stories of various shenanigans that took place while he was there. He especially enjoyed the Army-Navy rivalry. </p>
<p>Mike met his soulmate, Rosemary, during his time at West Point, and they were married at the Cadet Chapel just after graduation. They had a full life together, raising five kids and navigating multiple moves. They celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2025. Mike served five years after graduating. He was stationed in Germany, where he and Rosemary enjoyed exploring the history and culture. </p>
<p>When they returned to the States, he started his engineering career back in his home state of Minnesota. Career opportunities brought him to North Carolina for a couple of years and then to Georgia. He was part of a group that earned a patent on a large oil filtration system, and he spent much of his career traveling, both domestically and internationally, supporting installations and professional development. </p>
<p>After more than 20 years in mechanical and chemical engineering, he retired and gave in to a calling that he had been putting off for a long time, teaching. He began taking classes at the local college and began substitute teaching. He earned his teaching degree and license and taught in Alabama for 10 years before moving back to Georgia, where he was in his 11th year of teaching when he passed away in September 2025. His family tried to get him to retire after 20 years in the classroom, but he didn’t want to. He felt like he was making a difference for kids and it kept him energized. He had a reputation for being able to connect with students and for making learning fun by bringing his sense of humor into the classroom. During his teaching career, he served as an assistant soccer coach and assistant tennis coach and volunteered in countless ways to support the schools where he served.</p>
<p>Whatever the sport, he dedicated much of his time to leading activities and coaching his kids. When the family moved to Georgia, the small town had a limited soccer program. In order to help them grow, he became certified to officiate and then recruited and trained more referees. He served as the head of the referee association for many years, officiating recreational, travel and high school soccer. </p>
<p>He was always willing to jump into a driveway basketball game with his kids and their friends. He enjoyed the occasional bad round of golf, and filled in, when needed, in church league softball games. He ran his last Thanksgiving 5K well into his 60s. </p>
<p>When time allowed, he also enjoyed carpentry and tinkering in the garage, typically taking things apart and putting them back together with a few parts left over. This was something the rest of the family benefited from, as he was always excited to help with a project whenever he visited his siblings or his kids. Whether it was building a deck, installing a dishwasher, or helping to remodel a basement, he loved the planning, problem solving, and especially the bonding that a good project would bring. He absolutely loved it when one of his adult children would call for advice on a project or problem they were working on. </p>
<p>He also enjoyed card games and board games, especially if there was strategy involved. Most family gatherings included lots of game playing, and he and Rosemary had a regular card game with their close friends. Later in life, one of his favorite things was sitting on the dock, fishing with Rosemary and the grandkids. </p>
<p>Mike spent a lifetime serving others and contributing to both his family and his community as he was uniquely capable. His family will dearly miss him, and his classmates will mourn his loss, but he will forever be an honored and cherished member of the Long Gray Line.</p>
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