Alta Nelia (Lindaas) Bloomquist
Oct. 2, 1936 – Apr. 10, 2020
Alta Nelia (Lindaas)
Bloomquist , 83 died on
Good Friday April 10,
2020, at the Good Samari-
tan Home Lakota ND. Alta
was born October 2, 1936,
the youngest daughter of
Arthur and Nellie (Bottolf-son) Lindaas. Alta was
raised on the family farm
near Garske, ND and at-
tended school in Devils
Lake ND. Despite having
major back surgery while
in school she maintained
her studies and graduated
with her Central HS class
of ’54’. Alta married Carl
Bloomquist on June 24,
1955 at St Olaf Lutheran
Church in Devils Lake
ND. She attended Concor-dia College in Moorhead
MN, Mayville State
Teachers College and re-
ceived a Bachelor of Sci-
ence degree in Education
from Minot State Teach-
ers College in 1962. Alta
taught English and was
the librarian for Model
High School, Campus
School in Minot and the
Memorial Jr. High School
at Minot AFB. In 1969
Carl and Alta and their
son Rudi moved to
Bismarck, ND and Alta
was the children’s Librari-an at the Veterans
Memorial Public Library.
In 1970 the family re-
turned to Alta’s family
farm near Garske, ND,
while living on the farm
Alta taught in Hampden
and Churches Ferry as an
English teacher. Alta also
attended college at UND
in Grand Forks ND and
received her Master of
Science Degree in Educa-
tion in 1973, she graduat-
ed with honors. During
this time they planned
and built their farm home
with the help of family
and friends where they
farmed and lived for 40
years.
Alta was the proud des-
cendant of Norwegian
pioneers. She was a
member of the Lake Re-
gion Pioneer Daughter’s
working to remember and
preserve their heritage.
She was also a talented
musician and sang with
many groups including
the Silver Sensations and
the St Olaf Choir. As a
member of the Devils
Lake Music Club she was
active in encouraging
youth to pursue their
music ambitions, by help-
ing sponsor many to at-
tend the International
Peace Garden Music
Camp and as the
children’s choir director
at St Olaf. She was in the
cast of several plays of the
Fort Totten Little Theater.
She was active with the
VFW auxiliary, AAUW,
Sons of Norway, IOOF
Rebekah’s and the St Olaf
ACLU and WELCA. She
also assisted Carl in estab-
lishing the ND Bull Ses-
sion and Maritime Muse-
um and worked at catalog-ing the many items in the
museum.
Carl and Alta
researched their families’
heritage and returned
many times to visit rela-
tives in Norway, Sweden
and Finland. They in re-
turn hosted their relatives
visiting the farm. They
also traveled extensively
throughout the USA and
Canada while going to
reunions of Carl’s navy
ship DD702 and visiting
relatives and friends. Alta
enjoyed the farm and her
garden, she often said
June in North Dakota was
the most beautiful time of
the year with the new
growing crops. She was
the baker of countless
birthday cakes, known for
her pickles, potato salad,
and banana cream pie.
Carl and Alta moved into
assisted living in Devils
Lake and Carl died in
January 2018, Alta lived
in their apartment until
declining health moved
her into the Good Samari-
tan Home in Lakota. We
sincerely appreciate the
care they received while
at Heartland in Devils
Lake and moms caregivers
in Lakota. Angels of Mer-
cy everyone!
Alta is survived by her
son Rudi (Dianne) Bloom-
quist, Starkweather;
granddaughters Michelle
(Phil) Thomas, Fargo ND;
Traci Todahl and Didier
Hirwantwari, Kettering
OH; great grandsons Caleb
Thomas, Maddox West.
Also surviving are nieces
and nephews Annie Sal-
ing, Paradise, CA ; Libby
Rolnick, Novato, CA; John
Jennings, San Jose, CA;
Siggie (Phil) Stillman,
Newcastle, CA; Elsa
(Tom) Guiney, Portland
OR; Cecelia (Ken) Lingle,
Colorado Springs, CO;
Caryl (Bob) Rutten,
Bismarck ND; CJ Bloom-
quist, Devils Lake ND ; all
their families and
numerous relatives in Ca-
nada and Norway.
She was preceded in
death by her husband
Carl, father Arthur, stepfa-
ther Rudy Sorenson and
mother Nellie Sorenson,
brother Oliver Lindaas,
sister Hannah
brother-in-law Frank
Scholler, sister-in-law
Ione (Norman) Jennings,
Brothers-in-law Dale
Bloomquist, Jim Bloom-
quist and sister-in-law
Betty.
Due to the travel and
gathering restrictions
caused by the covid-19
virus, there can be no
traditional funeral. Inter-
ment will be beside her
husband of 62 years in the
Devils Lake ND Cemetery
on Saturday, April 18,
2020 at 10:00 a.m. Remain
in your vehicles if attend-ing. Please visit the Gil-
bertson Funeral Home
website to sign the
memorial book. Any
monetary gifts should be
directed to St Olaf Church
in Devils Lake ND, the ND
Bull Session endowment
at Lake Region State Col-
lege in Devils Lake, or to a
charity of your choice.
Cards can be sent to Rudi
Bloomquist 6747 81st Ave
NE Starkweather, ND