John Megrath Bloxom Jr.

Jack was born in Yakima on September 28, 1933 at St. Elizabeth Hospital. He attended Roosevelt Grade School and enjoyed the freedom of roaming independently, anywhere in the Yakima vicinity whether it be on streetcars, bikes, or on foot.

He graduated from Yakima High School (now Davis) in 1951. He was active on the track team, the Ski Team, tried his hand at acting and loved singing with the choir and performing in musicals. Outside of high school he enjoyed fishing, and working in the orchards through the summers. He often spoke about his best high school summer, when he was 17 and crewed on a fish cannery tender with his best friend and cousin Ned Turner in Prince William Sound, Alaska.

Following high school, Jack attended Cornell University where he received a B.S. degree in Agricultural Sciences in preparation for what was to become a long and successful career in the family's fruit growing businesses.

During his college years he was active in the Beta Theta Pi fraternity and Army ROTC. After college he served an additional 4 years in the Army Reserves achieving the rank of captain.

It was at Cornell where he met his wife of more than 70 Years, Connie. They married in Brookfield Township on June 16, 1955 with their college friends and family in attendance. They started their life venture together by driving from Ohio to Yakima in their 1955 Chevy station wagon.

Jack joined Washington Fruit and Produce in that year working with his father John Bloxom Sr, and Fred Plath. He was responsible for growing the company’s business through purchasing existing orchards, and recruiting independent growers to build fruit processing volume. As the fruit volume grew so did the success of the business.

During this time Jack and his father were developing and expanding the Bloxom family's fruit business in the White Salmon area, Mount Adams Fruit. In 1987 the Bloxom family ownership in Washington Fruit was divested and Jack devoted all of his time to those enterprises. Originally developed in 1909, Mount Adams orchards was carved out of 300 acres of forest into mostly a d’anjou pear orchard. Now they operate one of the largest pear orchards in the world. The leadership of the company was originally with three generations of Bloxoms and since 2008 two generations of Gibsons. Founded by Jack's grandfather, Mount Adams Fruit is owned by three generations of Merritt Bloxom's descendants.

Jack had a special connection with the growers and employees of the company. Long after he was no longer active in day to day management, he would travel to visit the owners of the orchards who trusted their fruit to the company. His knowledge of the industry and history of fruit growing was legendary. He was equally at home walking through the fruit packing operations, where he would stop and talk with many of the long term employees, always remembering them by name.

Jack moved into the CEO role of the family fruit businesses in 1987. He continued in that role until 2012 and as Chairman of the board until 2018. He remained active with the Company’s Board of Directors until September 2024, then serving as an ex-officio member. He continued to go into the Mount Adams Fruit office for most of his 92nd year. An extraordinary 70-year work history!

Jack’s commitment to the tree fruit business shown not only in his leadership of the business, but also multiple leadership positions in industry organizations. As an agricultural community member, he was passionate about supporting the dreams of fruit growers.

Of the many industry leadership roles he held, Jack was proud to have been President of the Yakima Growers and Shippers Association and Washington Horticultural Association where he received the Silver Pear Award in 1991. He held leadership positions in the Pear Bureau Northwest from 1987 to 2007, and remained an ex-officio member throughout his lifetime. His legacy also includes serving as President of the Washington Ag & Forestry Leadership program during its development year and first functioning year in 1978. The program continues today having graduated 44 classes of future leaders.

His commitment to industry groups and the family fruit business lead to industry sponsored trips to China, Argentina, Chile, Australia and New Zealand.

Jack followed in his father’s footsteps when he was elected to the board of Peoples National Bank in 1982 . It was important for him to represent the interests of the residents and businesses of Central Washington, especially the agricultural community. Peoples National Bank was acquired by U.S. Bank in 1988 and Jack continued to serve as a board member until 1996.

Bloxom rose to prominence in his profession and to the community. His and Connie’s dedication to service and commitment to philanthropy is their legacy in the Yakima Valley. They supported many well respected organizations, including the areas of education, the arts, social services, healthcare, and the environment.

With a passion for music, Jack had a long history of support at the Yakima Symphony Orchestra. His concert sponsorships go back to 1999, with an average of one concert sponsorship per year. For 10 years in a row they sponsored the Seattle Opera & Seattle Opera Young Artists performing with the YSO. They also regularly supported the Symphony's annual fund, Conductor's Circle, and annual fundraiser "Raise the Baton”.

Jack's commitment to education is represented by this quote; “Wealth, not necessarily in a material sense, but also in a sense of community and personal self-worth is founded on education”. This commitment was demonstrated in his support of many educational institutions including Yakima Valley College, Perry Institute, Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences and Heritage University.

Jack served in many roles with Heritage University, as a scholarship donor, a board member and a fund raiser. In 1989 Jack led the very first capital campaign for Heritage College, later to become Heritage University, with a goal of $5 million which was an amazing amount at that time. With the successful campaign, Heritage constructed their first new building on the old elementary school campus. This building still houses the university library and the office of the president. Jack was aware that many of the children of business owning families were going away to college, never to return to the valley. He was also aware that many of the lower income families could not afford to send their children to college. Jack believed that the future leadership of our businesses and communities would come from the Heritage College and his support of scholarships made that possible.

Jack joined the Yakima Rotary in 1959 as a third generation Rotarian. He served on 27 different committees and as the chair of 4 of them. He also served on the Board of Directors from 1973 to 1975. In 2014, he was asked to serve as Co-Chair of the Rotary Centennial Project with Robert (Bob) Redman. The outcome was the construction of the Yakima Rotary Aquatic Center.

He also served on the Board of the Yakima Rotary Trust from 1998 to 2003, was a multiple Paul Harris Fellow and a Rotary Trust Fellow, and First Citizen of Rotary in 2010. Then on November 20 of this year, he was elected to be the Honorary Yakima Rotary President. This honor was celebrated by Jack and Connie and their family the weekend before his passing.

Together in their support of their community, Jack and Connie were awarded the Ted Robertson Community Service award of Community Service by the Yakima Chamber of Commerce in 2018. Then in 2025 the United Way of Central Washington renamed their Community Service award, the Jack and Connie Bloxom Community Service award.

In Jack’s early married life he and Connie were active tennis players and founding members of the Yakima Tennis Club. He and Connie would travel to La Jolla in the depth of winter, enjoying the Tennis Club, as well as good friends. They moved from tennis to golf, and Hawaii became their favorite winter destination; first the Big Island then the Makenna area of Maui with many of their Yakima friends.

Jack’s love for the salt water was best exemplified in his passion for boating. In the 1970’s he and Connie started boating in the beautiful wasters in the Northwest, preferring the peace of anchoring in remote coves and bays, taking family and friends on their adventures. He recently spoke about his favorite boating trip where he and Connie hosted a close college friend and his wife on a 10-day boat trip starting in Port McNeill and heading north, where they fished and crabbed and lived off the sea.

With all of his industry, civic and business accomplishments, Jack was dedicated to his family, especially Connie. Her support of him during his career was more than returned in his support for her in recent years.

Jack enjoyed his childrens' school and sporting activities, however he had the most fun, skiing with the family at White Pass where he was the Yakima Ski Club President while teaching his children to ski. Later he would take pride in his children's and grand-children's accomplishments.

When asked what he would like to be remembered for, he said “a lifetime of compassion and empathy benefiting my community, businesses, employees and family.”

Jack is survived by his wife of 70 years, Connie; daughter Ann Caldwell (Donald), son David Bloxom (Bonnie Fletcher), grand children Ariel Caldwell, Peter Caldwell (Kathryn Hayes), Ashley Tharp-Bloxom (Emilio Sansone) and Addison Bloxom, niece Elizabeth Le Leon (Regis), nephews John Huston (Barbara); Matt Huston (Sherry Smith) as well as many cousins. As in business, Jack's relationships with his family members insured each of them, felt valued, loved and respected.

Jack is preceded in death by his parents, his sister and brother in law Barbara Bloxom Huston (Rev. John Huston) and bother and sister in law Bruce M. Bloxom (Anne Bloxom).

The family is incredibly grateful for the support of Dr. Kathleen Ross, Mark Lemke, Carissa Reed, Don Gibson, Doug Gibson, Hospice and the ladies of Visiting Angels. The support they have provided during his illness, meant the world to Jack and the family.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that remembrances be made to Heritage University, or an organization where you can continue in Jack’s footsteps in supporting and improving the Yakima area communities.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 17th, 2026 in the Smith Family Hall of Heritage University in Toppenish at 11:00 am, with a reception to follow in the Gaye & Jim Pigott Commons on campus.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at KeithandKeith.com for the Bloxom family.