Dolores Ann Bloom

Dolores (Fishman) Bloom was born on November 12th 1939 in the Hyde Park Neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, the second child of Louis and Mary Fishman and the younger sister of Jordan Fishman. She is survived by her five children – Lisa Bloom, Diane Paley, Jeffrey (Amy) Bloom, Steven (Amy) Bloom and Kenneth (Mona) Bloom. She is also survived by ten grandchildren – Sydney Bloom, Matthew Paley, Evan Bloom, Samuel Paley, Jared Bloom, Brandon Bloom, Benjamin Bloom, Jonathan Bloom, Maxwell Bloom, and Michael Bloom. Dolores is predeceased by her husband of 55 years, David Bloom.

Years before they were married, Dolores first met David at a Thanksgiving dinner where David’s cousin invited her good friend Dolores Fishman. Several years later, after seeing Dolores at the beach, David was smitten and mustered the courage to ask Dolores out. Dolores said yes, but after a few dates, the yeses turned into nos. However, David did not give up and after repeated requests, Dolores finally agreed to a date at a bowling banquet – according to David, his first and biggest sales job. This would be the turning point in their relationship as his charm and the strike and spare conversation bowled her over and they were married not long after at the Blackstone Hotel in Chicago.

Soon after the marriage, they took an apartment on the south side of Chicago, where they began expanding their family. After the birth of three boys, they soon moved to a home in Glencoe, Illinois. Desiring a girl, they were eventually blessed with twins, upping the kid count to five. This achieved Dolores’ desire to have a big happy family and set her up for a more than full-time job as head of household operations while David traveled for work.

Dolores adored David, and despite both being outgoing, they spent most of their free time enjoying each other’s company, dining out together as well as traveling to faraway places like the south of France. Her passion for travel also extended to family vacations, where the Bloom family visited amazing places including Israel, Paris, London, Italy, Egypt, and Greece throughout the years.

Dolores’ passion for life extended well beyond traveling. She was an avid reader, often gobbling up a book a day and obtained great enjoyment from works of art. Prior to fitness being chic, she was an ardent exerciser, never missing a day and running literally through rain, sleet, and snow. It is this penchant for health that enabled her to live so independently up until just before she passed. When she took on a new interest, it was always 100% or nothing. This included learning French, baking bread, knitting sweaters and making healthy cookies so fortified they could be used as tank armor. Despite all these interests, her biggest passion was her children and grandchildren. She adored them, and in the kitchen she was second to none, always making sure they went off to school with full, healthy breakfasts. For dinner she would make more than one delicious main course. “Do you want spaghetti or chicken” she would often ask, to which if one replied, “spaghetti”, invariably she would retort, “what, you don’t like my chicken?”. To her grandchildren she was affectionately known as Bubbe, a title she found sweet despite its contradiction to reality – Bubbe was anything but a Bubbe.

After her children were grown, one briefly moved back home, and without Dolores’ permission, brought home a dog, affectionately named Arthur. As her son’s doggy care did not live up to her expectations, Dolores soon adopted Arthur and poured all her motherly heart into raising him. This included cooking for him which continued until she brought Arthur to the vet who exclaimed, “Dolores, your dog is overweight”. Given her penchant for health, Dolores was devastated, and suffice it to say, Arthur’s chubby days were over. Arthur was just the beginning of the many dogs she and David made part of the family over the course of 30+ years. Her love and devotion to her furry children was deep and profound.

After selling the family tire company, in 1993, Dolores and David moved to Kingwood Texas where they began a new chapter of their lives. The next 32 years were filled with much love and many of the same passions they had while living in Chicago, albeit a bit warmer and moister. Dolores will be remembered by her family as a smart, funny, a bit sarcastic, strong, independent women, who was passionately devoted to those she loved. She was the best Mom, Wife, Daughter, Sister, and Bubbe.

Donations in Dolores' memory can be made to the HSPCA.

May her memory be a blessing