Von G. (Swede) Bloxham

On Saturday, May 30, 2020, Von G. (Swede) Bloxham peacefully passed away at the age of 93 with his loving wife and sweetheart right by his side in the same home he was born in.

Swede was born in Downey, ID on January 11, 1927, to Richard Thomas Bloxham and Elsie Henderson Bloxham. He was the 12th and final child in the family. He spent his life on the farm and learned his work ethic from an early age; something he instilled in all of his children. It is noted he was born, married and passed in the same house, which is rare.

When Swede was in his teens, he joined and served in the Navy (Seabees). As a veteran he taught us to stand a little taller and prouder when we recited the pledge of allegiance or sang the National Anthem. It was appropriate that he passed on the “real” Memorial Day (May 30th) because he didn’t like it to be celebrated on any other calendar day.

In 1946 he met the love of his life and though she was on a date with someone else, he knew from that moment that she was the one for him. They were married on August 21, 1948, in the same house they shared all their married life and sealed in the Logan Temple on May 4, 1964. In August of this year, they would’ve been married 72 years. He will be waiting to be reunited with his sweetheart again.

Swede always said that you only needed three things in life. A good horse, a good dog and a good wife. He got all three but the best thing he got was the good Wife. Honesty and integrity and the seal of a handshake was his code for life. He worked hard all his life from sunup till sundown farming, milking cows, raising a family and riding his “Red” horse. After several medical complications, he was forced to quit riding and one of the hardest days was watching him sell his horse and hang up his saddle

The vast variety of hard work he and his wife accomplished on a daily basis are too long to list but they both will say their greatest yield was their posterity. It’s not what we take with us when we go but what we leave behind. Their nine children are Brenda (Steven) Hunt, Butch (Denise) Bloxham, Jean (Gary) Buhl, Pam (John) Moceika, Helen (Dave) Lusk, Betty (John) Burton, Connie (Brad) Petersen, Lois Ann (Kevin) Post, and David (Cami) Bloxham. They have 9 children, 39 grandchildren, 91 great-grandchildren and 6 great-great-grandchildren. They have lived at the same address all their married life except for a few months in Pocatello early in their marriage.

Swede was greeted by those who had gone before him including his Father and Mother, four brothers, six sisters and one great grandson (Stetson). He has one living brother (Merl Bloxham).

He will be greatly missed but will live on forever through his posterity. All because two people fell in love!

Due to COVID restrictions, immediate family graveside services will be held on Thursday, June 4, 2020. There will be an immediate family viewing at Horsley Funeral Home in Malad from 9:30 to 10:30 and graveside services at Downey Cemetery at 11:00 for family. There will be military rites performed.

In lieu of flowers, he wanted any donations sent to Primary Childrens Hospital in Salt Lake City.