Bernadine ‘Bernie’ T. Blomquist

Bernadine was born on Oct. 5, 1936, to the late Joseph “Penny” Andreini and Beatrice (Santini) Andreini. Her father, a hardworking immigrant from Italy, instilled in Bernie the values of dedication, perseverance, and a strong work ethic that guided her throughout her life. Her mother was known for her warmth and wonderful Italian cooking, influences that shaped Bernie’s love of family and home.

Bernie and her beloved husband, Jim, were high school sweethearts whose partnership spanned a lifetime. They attended the University of Illinois together, where they were married and proudly earned their degrees. Bernie earned a degree in English and taught for one year at Iron Mountain High School before choosing to focus full-time on raising their family.

As a devoted stay-at-home mother, Bernie lovingly raised five children, creating a home filled with warmth, structure, and care. Later in life, she began a successful second career in real estate with Stephens Real Estate Company, where she was known for her professionalism, sharp mind, and strong work ethic, and where she took great pride in her work.

Bernie was an exceptional cook who loved preparing meals for her family. Her kitchen was a place of comfort and connection, and her cooking will always be fondly remembered. She and Jim loved to travel, especially spending winters in Florida. A particularly meaningful trip took them to Italy, where Bernie visited Andreini relatives and deepened her connection to her family’s roots — an experience she cherished.

Bernie especially loved living on Lake Antoine, where she could relax in her living room chair and watch the activity on the water through the changing seasons. The lake brought her peace and happiness.

Bernie had a lifelong love of words and music. From a young age, she loved to sing, and she and her sister Pauline were known to break into song upon request. She enjoyed puzzles and was an avid card player — sharp, competitive, and always ready for a game. Bernie played cribbage like a professional and excelled at Scrabble, with an impressive ability to spell just about anything.

She is survived by her sons, Mark (Lisa) Blomquist, John (Cathy) Blomquist, and David (Jackie) Blomquist; her daughter, Jean (Michael) Constantini; her sister, Pauline (Francis) Brouillette; sisters-in-law Miriam Nordstrom and Julie Andreini; 14 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and her lifelong friend, Alyce Derwinski.

In addition to her parents and her husband of 64 years, Bernie was preceded in death by her son, Paul Blomquist; her brother, Dr. Larry Andreini; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Carl and Mabel Blomquist; brother-in-law Roger Nordstrom; and three nephews, Joe Brouillette, Dan Andreini and Matthew Andreini.

Visitation will be held from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 30, at Jacobs Funeral Home in Iron Mountain. Prayers will be recited at 10:30 a.m. at the funeral home, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Iron Mountain. Burial will be in Cemetery Park.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to the caring and compassionate staff at Evergreen Senior Living, OSF Home Health and Hospice, Marshfield Medical Center, and the Dickinson Cancer Center.

Friends may leave condolences and tributes to Bernie’s family online at www.jacobsfuneralhomes.com.

The family has chosen Jacobs Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Iron Mountain, to honor Bernie’s legacy of life.