Charles William Bloehm

Charles “Charlie” William Bloehm
96 years old

Lifelong resident of St. Lucie County, Charlie departed this world to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and loved ones on April 6, 2016.

Charlie passed during a brief stay while in the loving care of Treasure Coast Hospice House in St. Lucie County.

LIFE

Charlie Bloehm was born by the Indian River in Fort Pierce on August 2, 1919, to his immigrant parents from Germany, Kurt Hans Karl Blöhm and Rosa (Walter) Blöhm. (When they came to America through Ellis Island, the name was changed to Bloehm.) He was the son of a fisherman, and knew only the hard-scrabble life of all who were going through the Great Depression. At 12, his school day was interrupted to be told that his father had passed away. “That was the only time I ever missed school. Can you believe they docked me that day,” he would say, always amazed.

Charlie worked before and after school, delivering newspapers in the early morning hours. Rosa, his mother, was a strong German woman who worked at the tomato-packing house in Ft. Pierce and cleaned the houses of those better off.

As a young boy, Charlie had a passion for music. Scrimping and saving pennies and nickels from work, he finally saved enough to buy a radio. He could then listen to the radio stations in the evening from Atlanta to New York City. He loved the Big Band music that lifted his spirits and let him dream and escape the reality of his life in the Depression.

As fate would have it, the priest at St. Anastasia School, Father Beerhalter, wanted to organize an orchestra. Charlie was asked to join the band though he could not play a single note on any instrument at the time. Jim Cowley, the music director at the school took Charlie under his wing and trained the gifted young man at the age of 15 how to play the saxophone.

And the rest is history…

Charlie was a budding musician in St. Lucie County, playing every gig he could get. He had now developed skill at playing the piano, trumpet, clarinet, bass fiddle…he had a talent for them all.

Meanwhile, thanks to a reference from the Chamber of Commerce, Charlie was offered a “real job” at the St. Lucie County Bank, which is now SunTrust Bank. He worked diligently at the bank as an entry-level clerk, but his employment was put on hold when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

Charlie joined the Navy; he was sent to the Pacific Theatre and was stationed in Australia. The word got out that the young sailor played sax. He played with military bands and took gigs on the side, playing dance music at church socials where soldiers and sailors could enjoy some R & R before going back to do their duty.

After the war, he came home to his loving mother. The job at the bank was waiting for him upon his discharge from the Navy.

Working at the bank before the war and after his service, Charlie got to know everyone in the County. He would say how much he enjoyed banking back then. “You could get a loan on a handshake. Good Lord, how things have changed.” He retired from banking as senior vice president in the mid 1980’s.

Charlie kept playing music. He had several bands, playing clubs, parties, weddings, etc. He loved the jam sessions at Beanie Backus’s studio. “At Beans, you could play jazz all night long.”

Charlie married the love of his life, Doris Bodenstein, from Madison, Florida in November 1954. Within the next ten years they were blessed with three beautiful girls: Rosalie (Rosie), Theresa (Terry) and Susan (Pookie).

Daughter Terry says, “I remember him saying he was proud of having been able to find his loving wife at the age of 36 and have the family he never had, having lost his father at age 12 and being an only child. He had no relatives in the U.S. – They were all in Germany.” His self-made family fulfilled his childhood wishes to not be alone throughout his life, but to have created a circle of love around him.

“Dad was a man of character, goodness, honesty, integrity with strong ethics and high morals, said Terry. He drew people into his life who helped instill in him these characteristics.” Important to Charlie were God, family, country, good jazz music and the Standards, humor and laughing. He saw only the good in others and was a kind man who loved animals and nature. Charlie was one of the early residents of Indian River Drive. “I wanted to live on the river; my Dad loved the river and I felt close to my Dad.” He had a big heart, willing to be of service to those in need. Charlie has served as Treasurer for the Knights of Columbus, the American Red Cross, the March of Dimes, and was a devout member of the Catholic Church.

Full of enthusiasm and always ready with a joke, he chose to see the positive in life and held fast to his faith in hard times. He loved talking with people and frequently kept his young daughters waiting in the car after church as he visited with everyone at St. Anastasia and St. Mark’s church.

Raised in the South, but taught not to be prejudiced from his German parents, among his proudest achievements was hiring the first African-American at the bank.

Charlie was predeceased by his parents, Kurt Hans Karl and Rosa Bloehm, wife, Doris of 60 years and youngest daughter, Susan. He is survived by his two daughters, Rosie and Terry and his second cousin, Willi, in Germany.

May God bless this kind and gentle man’s soul.

Donations may be made to St. Mark’s Catholic Church, 1924 Zephyr Avenue, Fort Pierce, FL 34982.

The visitation will be held on Thursday, April 28, 2016 from 4-6 PM with a Wake Service at 5:00 PM at Haisley Funeral Home, Fort Pierce. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, April 29, 2016 at 10:00 AM at St. Mark’s Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Riverview Memorial Park.