From:
The Williamson County Sun
The Rev. Paul J. Blom
The Rev. Paul J.
Blom of Georgetown, Texas, passed away on June 5, 2023, at the age of
82. Paul was born January 19, 1941 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to the Rev.
Axel Blom and Naomi Blom, née Hougaard. After graduating from Memorial
High School, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Paul attended St. Olaf College,
Northfield, Minnesota, from which he graduated in 1963.
Following college, Paul graduated from Luther Theological Seminary, St.
Paul, Minnesota, and was ordained as a Lutheran pastor in 1967. He
served congregations in California and Texas for 25 years before being
elected Bishop of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He served in that office for 16
years, providing leadership through the immediate aftermaths and
recoveries of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, expanding cooperation among
and between other religious denominations, and investing in ministries
for youth and young adults.
After retiring to Georgetown in 2007, Paul continued pursuing his
passion of life-long learning by teaching and participating in courses
at Senior University. He was an avid sports fan, especially rooting for
the Green Bay Packers, Houston Astros, and Texas Longhorns. He enjoyed
reading mystery and suspense novels and volunteering at local charities
like Georgetown Backpack Buddies.
Most importantly, Paul was a man who deeply understood the meaning and
implications of God’s merciful grace for all of creation, which inspired
in him a compassionate conviction to love and defend the forgotten,
marginalized, and rejected. It also inspired in him a sense of humor
that he deeply enjoyed sharing with all those around him.
Paul is survived by his wife of 55 years, Marie Blom, and his daughter,
Sara Slaughter (Brad) of Cedar Park, Texas and son, Nathan Blom (Liza)
of Parker, Colorado. He is also survived by his sister, Connie Blom of
St. Louis Park, Minnesota and stepmother, Ruth Blom of Eau Claire,
Wisconsin. Paul’s greatest joy and deepest pride were his five
grandchildren, Luke, Jacob, and Grace Slaughter and Abigail and Noah
Blom, who he loved to cheer on from the sidelines both near and far.
A memorial service will be held 11 a.m July 8 at at Christ Lutheran
Church, Georgetown.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Christ Lutheran
Church, Georgetown, Texas (https://clcgtn.org/give), Lutheran Disaster
Response (https://elca.org/Our-Work/Relief-and-Development/Lutheran-Disaster-Response),
or Live On Endowment Fund of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod, ELCA
(https://gulfcoastsynod.org/partners/live-on).
To access live streaming of the funeral service on July 8, 2023 at 11
a.m., use the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjoGPyjil2Q