Olly Zangerl Blom

1928 - 2018

Olly Zangerl Blom
April 12 1928 - March 23, 2018

Olly Zangerl was born in Innsbruck Austria to Rudolf Zangerl and Emma Pircher Zangerl on April 12, 1928. She attended the University of Innsbruck and later was a statistician for the Government of Tirol, Austria. She met her American husband C. James Blom while he was earning his PhD in geology at the University. They were married in 1953 and moved to America. Jim was immediately drafted into the army and the couple moved to San Francisco where he was stationed at the Presidio and Olly worked for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. Their first child, Monica was born in 1955.

After leaving the Army, Jim began work for Standard Oil of California (now Chevron) in Ojai, CA. In 1957, their second daughter, Christine was born. They were then transferred to Whittier, and in 1961 to Bakersfield where Olly made many friends and fell in love with the community. In 1963, they welcomed the arrival of their third child, Karin.

After Jim was hired by Occidental Petroleum, the family moved to Tripoli, Libya for three years (before Ghadafi's takeover). Each summer Olly would take the girls to spend time with her mother in Innsbruck.

Returning to Bakersfield in 1969, she and her husband settled into the day to day life of raising a family, this time in Olde Stockdale.

In 1973 Olly enrolled at California State University, Bakersfield where she graduated with a degree in Social Studies. She earned a teaching credential and substituted for several years at local high schools.

Olly loved to play tennis and still golfed into her late 80's. In addition, she adored playing bridge and duplicate bridge at the Bridge Center. She enjoyed reading, swimming, skiing and gardening. Traveling the world and vacationing with her family were always big favorites of hers.

Over the years, Olly contributed countless hours to various charities and organizations. She was one of the early members of the Child Guidance Guild. She volunteered for several years at the Guild House. Along with several of her friends, Olly helped start the Blue Ribbon Circle which supports the Bakersfield Museum of Art. She was on the YMCA board and for decades fundraised diligently for Bakersfield Community Concert Association.

Olly had a remarkable life that will be fondly remembered and reflected upon by her survivors - her husband, C. James Blom, daughters: Monica and her husband, Stewart Strange, Christine and her husband, Daniel Gomez, and Karin and her husband, Kevin Williams with grandchildren: John Bickel, Emily Williams and Gabi Williams.

A Memorial Mass will be held for Olly at Saint Francis Church in Bakersfield at 11 A.M. Tuesday, May 29, 2018.