ANN MURPHY BLOOMQUIST

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DIED MARCH 25, 2023

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  • ANN MURPHY BLOOMQUIST
    ANN MURPHY BLOOMQUIST
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NORTHPORT – Ann Murphy Bloomquist, 88, of Northport, passed away peacefully at her home on Saturday, March 25, 2023.

Ann was born July 6, 1934 in Champaign, IL the daughter of Clifford and Aline (Williamson) Murphy. Growing up in Champaign, Ann was a talented student, singer and dancer who excelled in the performing arts from a young age. She met the love of her life, Kenneth G. Bloomquist, when she was just sixteen years old and they were both singing in a church choir. On February 14, 1954, Ann and Ken were married and she started teaching while Ken served in the Army. After Ken was discharged, she went back to finish her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Illinois and later earned her Master’s degree.

Early in her career, Ann accompanied her husband Ken and the University of Kansas Brass Choir on a four-month tour of southeast Asia, where she sang for international audiences, performing the national anthem of each country they visited in their native language. Ann taught music at all levels in the East Lansing Public Schools for 22 years, and for seven years was the Chorusmaster of the Opera Company of Mid-Michigan. She was an active performer in community theatre, and also in the direction of musical theatre at East Lansing High School.

When Ann retired to Northport, Michigan in 1995, she organized the Village Voices and over the years, the community choir grew to a group of over 65 singers. She and Ken were instrumental in the creation of the Northport Community Arts Center, now the Northport Performing Arts Center, and she spent many happy years working alongside friends and volunteers to stage performances of traditional musicals while also composing music for and directing numerous original stage plays. Later, she learned to play the timpani so she could perform with her husband and friends in the Northport Community Band.

Many happy years were enjoyed hosting family, friends, and neighbors at their home in Northport, where Ann loved to entertain. She treasured the friendships, the conversations, planning the events, preparing and serving the food and drink, the music, Taps at sunset, and taking in the incredible beauty all around her. Her family will always treasure those memories of Ann and Ken in their happy place with the people who meant so much to them.

Ann is survived by her three children, Leslie (Russell) Knopp, Laurie (Mario) Perez, Daniel (Bonnie) Bloomquist; her grandchildren, Chelsea (Jerry) Krueger, Allison (Nathan) Spoelhof, Katie (David) Dewey, Rowland Perez, Ciara (Walker) Glass, Christian Perez, Breanne (Brian) Cremean, Ian Bloomquist, Leah (Charles) Benson; and great grandchildren, Finnegan, Ellie, Brooks, Valerie, Dylan, Annabelle, and Finnlay.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband of sixty-seven years, Ken; her parents; her sister, Nancy L. Murphy; and her brother, Clifford Murphy Jr.

A celebration of Ann’s life will be announced at a later date.

Memorials may be directed to the Kenneth G. Bloomquist Conducting Scholarship at Michigan State University. The family would like to thank her team from Comfort Keepers and Hospice of Michigan for the loving care they provided these last weeks and months of her very full life.

Please share your condolences and memories with Ann’s family at www. martinson.info. Arrangements are with the Martinson Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Leelanau.