Dennis Blome
May 16, 1940 — January 18, 2014
Dennis Blome, 73, of Cedar Rapids, died Saturday, January 18, 2014, at Mercy Medical Center, Cedar Rapids, from complications of pancreatic cancer. Services: 11:00 a.m. Thursday, January 23, 2014, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cedar Rapids, by Rev. Rick Gail. Family will greet friends from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, January 22, 2014, at the funeral home. Honors will be provided by the Linn County Sheriff Department Honor Guard. Burial: Linwood Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.
Survivors include his wife, Susan; daughter, Lisa Larkey (Randy Cole) of Solon; two grandsons, Austin and Tanner; sister, Jan Harvey of Coralville and sister, Pat (Herman) Richtsmeier of Ames; mother-in-law, Rita Rehak; sisters-in-law, Lisa Ernst, Gail Baldus-Loskill, Janet Wilkie and Diane (Bruce) Dalton; brother-in-law, John (Grace) Rehak of Lees Summit, Missouri; and other nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents; father-in-law, Lester Rehak; and brother-in-law, James Rehak.
Dennis was born May 16, 1940, in Iowa Falls, Iowa, the son of Herbert and Ardell (Radohl) Blome. He attended Radcliffe Schools, Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, Illinois, Ellsworth Junior College in Iowa Falls, Iowa, and then to the Wisconsin Institute of Mortuary Science in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Dennis served as a funeral director in Marshalltown and Mason City.
Dennis married Joan King of Hubbard, Iowa, in 1961 and they have a daughter, Lisa Larkey of Solon, Iowa. They were divorced in 1975. Dennis moved to Cedar Rapids in 1966, where he worked for the Area Chamber of Commerce until 1971, when he joined the Linn County Sheriff’s Office. He served in all ranks of the Sheriff’s Office until his election as Sheriff in 1984, serving in that position until 1994, during which he started the Linn County K-9 Program.
Dennis attended the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, the National Institute of Corrections in Boulder, Colorado, and the National Sherriff’s Institute in Quantico, Virginia. He graduated from Mt. Mercy College, Cedar Rapids in 1980. Dennis married Susan M. Rehak in April of 1989, in Cedar Rapids. In September of 1994, Dennis was appointed by President William Jefferson Clinton to serve as United States Marshal for the Northern District of Iowa, where he served in that position until his retirement in 2002. He worked many years for Murdoch Funeral Homes assisting on services.
Dennis was a member of the Iowa State Sheriff’s and Deputies Association, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the FBI National Academy Associates and the Retired United States Marshals Association. He also was a member of the Izaak Walton League, co-coordinator of the Cedar Rapids CISM Team and volunteered at St. Luke’s Hospital, which he thoroughly enjoyed and received the Spirit of St. Luke’s Award Volunteering Excellence. Dennis loved golfing (he had 2 hole in ones), animals, fishing, going to the casino and traveling.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in Dennis’ memory.
Survivors include his wife, Susan; daughter, Lisa Larkey (Randy Cole) of Solon; two grandsons, Austin and Tanner; sister, Jan Harvey of Coralville and sister, Pat (Herman) Richtsmeier of Ames; mother-in-law, Rita Rehak; sisters-in-law, Lisa Ernst, Gail Baldus-Loskill, Janet Wilkie and Diane (Bruce) Dalton; brother-in-law, John (Grace) Rehak of Lees Summit, Missouri; and other nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents; father-in-law, Lester Rehak; and brother-in-law, James Rehak.
Dennis was born May 16, 1940, in Iowa Falls, Iowa, the son of Herbert and Ardell (Radohl) Blome. He attended Radcliffe Schools, Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, Illinois, Ellsworth Junior College in Iowa Falls, Iowa, and then to the Wisconsin Institute of Mortuary Science in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Dennis served as a funeral director in Marshalltown and Mason City.
Dennis married Joan King of Hubbard, Iowa, in 1961 and they have a daughter, Lisa Larkey of Solon, Iowa. They were divorced in 1975. Dennis moved to Cedar Rapids in 1966, where he worked for the Area Chamber of Commerce until 1971, when he joined the Linn County Sheriff’s Office. He served in all ranks of the Sheriff’s Office until his election as Sheriff in 1984, serving in that position until 1994, during which he started the Linn County K-9 Program.
Dennis attended the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, the National Institute of Corrections in Boulder, Colorado, and the National Sherriff’s Institute in Quantico, Virginia. He graduated from Mt. Mercy College, Cedar Rapids in 1980. Dennis married Susan M. Rehak in April of 1989, in Cedar Rapids. In September of 1994, Dennis was appointed by President William Jefferson Clinton to serve as United States Marshal for the Northern District of Iowa, where he served in that position until his retirement in 2002. He worked many years for Murdoch Funeral Homes assisting on services.
Dennis was a member of the Iowa State Sheriff’s and Deputies Association, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the FBI National Academy Associates and the Retired United States Marshals Association. He also was a member of the Izaak Walton League, co-coordinator of the Cedar Rapids CISM Team and volunteered at St. Luke’s Hospital, which he thoroughly enjoyed and received the Spirit of St. Luke’s Award Volunteering Excellence. Dennis loved golfing (he had 2 hole in ones), animals, fishing, going to the casino and traveling.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in Dennis’ memory.
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