Kathie Bloom

All-star mother, wife, and friend Kathie Bloom died peacefully at home at age 69 on August 14, 2024, surrounded by her family. After a lifetime of caring for others, her final challenge as she battled brain cancer was to allow others to care for her, chiefly her loving husband of 38 years, Martin, with the support of their devoted children, Janey and David, their niece, Nicki, who Kathie called her bonus daughter, and countless family and friends. It was a challenge she faced with humor, grace, and tremendous courage. From her earliest days growing up in Concord, Alabama, Kathie was never one to sit still. She was always a doer, the rare kind of person who could run circles around the Energizer Bunny, always with a smile and without breaking a sweat. From her 20-year career as a court reporter to her calling as a mother to her tireless volunteering in the children's department at Canterbury United Methodist Church, Kathie devoted her life to others. Whether cooking up a storm for thirty-odd family members at Thanksgiving or reading aloud an entire Harry Potter book to her children on the twelve-hour drive to Anna Maria, Florida (and losing her voice in the process), she did none of this expecting anything in return. Her devotion was an expression of her love, pure and honest. Crucially for the rest of us, Kathie didn't hold others to the high standard she set for herself. Quite the opposite, her love for her family and friends (and for any child she encountered anywhere in the world) was absolute and unconditional. Kathie loved to travel with family and friends, especially to her and Martin's home in Highlands, NC, her "happy place," where she loved watching hummingbirds swarm the many feeders she hung out for them and being lulled to sleep by the sound of rain showers on the tin roof. Of all the advice she recorded for her children in her final months, perhaps the most characteristic was her encouragement to "Smile to strangers and children-especially children, they almost always smile back, a genuine smile that will warm your heart. So give a child a smile, you'll never be sorry you did." Kathie never passed up an opportunity to smile to a child, and she hopes you won't, either. Kathie is survived by her husband Martin Bloom, son David Bloom (Michael Schmale), daughter Janey Taylor (Jake), niece Nicki Argo, step-grandchildren Bash and Ezra Taylor, sister Janice Elrod, brothers Ricky Argo and David Argo, as well as many other cousins and in-laws. The family would like to express their appreciation to Dr. Burt Nabors and his team for the excellent care she received at UAB Medical Center. A visitation with Kathie's family will be held at Canterbury United Methodist Church on August 20, 2024 beginning at 1:30 pm, followed by a service in celebration of her extraordinary life at 2:30 pm.