Wilbur Bluhm

01/29/1927 - 09/25/2025

Wilbur LeRoy Bluhm died peacefully to be with the Lord on September 25, 2025 while in hospice after suffering a debilitating stroke 18 months earlier. He was born January 29, 1927 in Seward, Nebraska. Wilbur grew up in Nebraska, and graduated in 1947 as a proud alumnus of the University of Nebraska. After college he met Mary Louise Brunzell, and they wed in August of 1953. He spent several years in Nebraska after college, and 4 years in the Air Force in Illinois, before he and Mary moved to Salem, Oregon in 1957. After moving to Oregon, a daughter Ann, and two sons Bob and Jim were born. In Salem, Wilbur worked for the Oregon State University Extension Service, becoming Marion County Staff Chairman and specializing in ornamental horticulture, before retiring after 27 years of service. After he retired, Wilbur stayed busy in the horticulture field through consulting and his involvement with professional organizations locally and worldwide.
Wilbur's many and varied passions helped define him as the remarkable man that he was. The following represent just a few of his interests that he pursued with gusto: music and singing, hiking and the great outdoors, native plant identification and cataloguing of Oregon's plant locations around the state, and extensive family genealogy and books he authored about his family and life experiences. He and Mary were also very actively involved in accumulating an amazing collection of American Brilliant Cut Glass, with a related deep involvement in the American Cut Glass Association. Wilbur also maintained perfect attendance at Rotary Club meetings for over 50 years.
Wilbur was preceded in death by Mary after 59 years of marriage, and later his companion Coralee Cox, as well as his daughter Ann Bluhm Mattson, and daughter-in-law Carol Bluhm. He is survived by sons Bob (Melodee) and Jim (Amy), son-in-law Dean (Rosemary) Mattson as well as six grandchildren and six great grandchildren. A special thank you to the team of caregivers at Paradise Adult Foster Home in Tigard, and Agape Hospice. A memorial service and celebration of life is planned for December 13 at 1:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Salem, Oregon, where Wilbur was a faithful member for 66 years.