Thank You on Memorial Day

George E. Bloom, Major, U.S. Army, 1942

In addition to today being Memorial Day, it's the fifth anniversary of my Father's death. George E. Bloom was born in 1919 in Philadelphia, PA and passed away on May 25, 2004 in Los Angeles, CA. When he was about 6 months old, his parents, Ethel and Lawrence, along with their older son, Morton, moved to Los Angeles. A year later, George's younger brother, Hi, was born. They lived in the predominantly Jewish section of Boyle Heights in East Los Angeles.

George, 1926, Boyle Heights, East L.A.

When my Dad was about 11, the family moved to Hollywood, and then when he was 15, they moved to West Los Angeles. Dad was a life-long Angeleno and he loved this City.

George @ Scout Camp, 1932

After attending a few years of UCLA, studying to be an architect, Dad was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1941. While at UCLA, he'd met my Mom, Roz. They married in 1943, during WW II. My Dad was stationed in Panama, so they lived there until just before my brother, Ken was born. Mom came back to L.A. to give birth.
After the war, my Dad worked in various managerial and sales positions. Eventually, in the early 1950's he co-founded his own building and sub-contracting door business with his partner Paul Kane. They called it the George Paul Company. The building they worked out of is still there, 8551 Venice Blvd., just west of La Cienega, Los Angeles. My Mom, my brother and even I worked at the lumber yard (as we called it). My Mom helped with the bookkeeping, my brother worked in the back, learning about the door business and how to build things. I was just a little girl then. I helped stamp and seal envelopes and stack the mail.

George was a painter, a builder, a woodcarver, a storyteller and more. Below are a few examples of his woodworking and art accomplishments from the late 1950's of Polynesian and African sculptures.

In the mid- 1960's my Dad became very interested in sailing. We eventually joined the Del Rey Yacht Club in Marina del Rey where he became active in club activities. He was an avid sailor and participated in races to Puerta Vallarta, Mexico and local events. He served on the DRYC Board of Directors and was an officer and committee chairman for many years.

George, Marina del Rey, CA, 1984

Also, during my youth, my Dad introduced me to all kinds of art and architecture, the historical aspects of our beautiful City of Los Angeles and he taught me how to sail. I learned so many things from my Dad, especially how to treat others, how to get along and how to manage my life. I'm forever grateful to him.

Remember to thank a veteran today. O.K., salty teardrops on the keyboard....gotta go.

George E. Bloom on his 80th Birthday, 1999