Thomas Whitaker Bluemel

From admiring Charles Lindbergh and the Spirit of 76 parade down the street in front of his house, to flying his own Cessna 172, Tom Bluemel lived a long, full life of faith, art, family and adventure.
Thomas Whitaker Bluemel passed peacefully into Heaven surrounded by family on January 1, 2016, at age 95. He was born to Bismarck Burton Bluemel and Susan Vineta Whitaker on September 24, 1920, in Brigham City, Utah, the first of five. Later the family moved to California, where Tom grew up, worked with his father, graduated from high school, and went off to war, serving in radio repair, when officers discovered his talent in art and ordered him to paint airplanes. Upon his return he pursued a career in commercial art. While working in Salt Lake City he met and married Bette Jean Willson. She had 3 children, and together they had 3 more. Their marriage ended and Tom raised the children in California, where he met Barbara Dawn Patterson. They married in April 1962, and with her son and his children they became a family. Later they were sealed in the LDS Los Angeles Temple.
Tom wanted to be a pilot so he got his license, bought a plane and flew often. He survived the crash of his first plane, bought another and continued to fly.
Tom and Barbara traveled together, worked together in their commercial art business, served in the LDS Seattle, WA Temple as ordinance workers, and grew old together. He lovingly referred to her as “Barbie B” and she called him “Tommy Timex.”
They moved to Utah with their daughter, Lisa and her husband, Condon, in 2006. Tom loved Logan and said that it was like “coming home” because it was so close to his birthplace. He was happy to be near a temple and spent long hours as a patron in the Logan Temple. He also loved missionary work, inviting all to investigate his faith. Tom was a hard-worker, loved children, a talented artist, generous, kind, a dedicated latter-day saint, a disciple of Jesus Christ, and a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.
Tom is preceded in death by; his wife Barbara, his son Craig, his brothers, Craig and Ray, his grandson, Erik Bluemel and a great granddaughter, Claire Walker. He is survived by; his daughter Tanya Buck(Stephen) of Burley, ID, his son Thomas Bluemel (Lori) of Arcadia, CA, his son Kevin Bluemel (Seattle, WA), his daughter Lisa Hansen (Gordon) of Logan, UT, his sisters Carol Murphy and Laurine Kafton, 12 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, and 1 great, great-grandchild.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 9, 2016 at 11:00am at the River Heights Stake Center, 800 South 600 East, River Heights, Utah. A viewing will be held Saturday from 9:30am to 10:30am. Internment, Riverton Cemetery.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Allen-Hall Mortuary. Condolences and memories may be shared online at www.allenmortuaries.net .