Benedict Nicholas Blum, 73, Luverne, died Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, under hospice care at his home.
A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial was Tuesday, Jan. 10, at St. Catherine Catholic Church in Luverne.
Benedict Blum was born to Vincent and Mary Ann (Springman) Blum on Nov. 28, 1949, in Harlan, Iowa. He was raised on the family farm near Westphalia, Iowa, and attended school in town. After graduating from high school in 1968, he worked for a short time, and then on Aug. 15, 1969, he enlisted with the United States Army. After his honorable discharge on Feb. 17, 1972, he worked as a butcher in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
On June 28, 1975, Ben married Carol Puls at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Westphalia. They made their first home in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Ben worked at a meat packing house in Omaha, Nebraska. They moved to LeMars, Iowa in 1975 and then moved back to Council Bluffs in October of 1976. In the summer of 1979, they relocated to Mankato, Kansas, until the plant closed at the end of 1986. The next moves were to Norfolk, Nebraska, Fargo, North Dakota, in 1998, Rock Rapids, Iowa, and then to an acreage near George, Iowa, in 1999.
In 2013, Ben was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia. They sold the acreage in 2014 and moved to Sheldon, Iowa. In November of 2016 they moved to Luverne.
Ben loved fishing and working with either his goat herd or his bird flock. He really enjoyed life on the acreage, which was a place of peace to him. While his boys were in Boy Scouts, he was very involved and remained active. He was also active in 4H, FFA, and was a Third Degree Knight with the Knights of Columbus.
Ben is survived by his wife, Carol; three children, Matthew (Michelle) Blum of Montevideo, Andrew (Robin) Blum of Lee Summit, Missouri, and Laura (Dean) Luitjens of Luverne; five grandchildren, Ryan King, Andrea Luitjens, Victoria Blum, Josh Luitjens, and Benjamin Blum; siblings, Barbara Malik of Harlan, Jerry (Nancy) Blum of Pacific Junction, Iowa, Mary Ohlinger of Omaha, Nebraska, Joan (Dave) Tweedie of Lincoln, Nebraska, Jean (Norman) Smith of Dunlap, Iowa, Roger (Teresa) Blum of Griswold, Iowa, Delores (Tom) Huey of Harlan, Lois Reeves of Harlan, Sheila (Nick) May of Westphalia, Dean Blum of Harlan, Karen (Dan) Jones of Council Bluffs, Lisa (Rodney) Bengford of Harlan, and Angie (Warren) Bertsch of Omaha; and other family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers-in-law, Gerald Ohlinger and Larry Reeves.
Arrangements were provided by Hartquist Funeral Home of Luverne, hartquistfuneral.com.
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