Michael James Blomquist

Michael James Blomquist, loving, devoted father of Kameron, Adrian, and Olivia Blomquist, and beloved husband of Kristy (Lashmet) Blomquist, died January 30, 2004, after a valiant and dignified fight with brain cancer. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, February 4, 2004, at the Unity Church of Overland Park, 10300 Antioch Road, Overland Park, KS. Friends may call from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, February 3, 2004, at the McGilley & Hoge Chapel, 8024 Santa Fe Drive. Interment in Calvary Cemetery, Kansas City, MO. Mike was born March 21, 1977, in Overland Park, to Mary and Hiram Blomquist, the younger brother of David Blomquist. He attended Apache Elementary School, Westridge Middle School, and graduated from Shawnee Mission West High School in 1995. He was active in the gifted education program, Chorale, and was an Eagle Scout. After high school, Mike hoped to become a school principal and attended Johnson County Community College until his education was interrupted by his illness. Even when he was debilitated by his disease, Mike was able to continue studying karate, a passion in which he found great peace and pride. He was recently awarded American Kempo Karate Academy's Adult Student of the Year Award. Mike's joy in life was his family. Nurtured in a family of great love as a child, he was able to create with his cherished wife a beautiful family of his own whose love was evident to all who knew them. Mike was often recognized as a wonderful husband and father, someone who would rather play with his children or go out on a date with his wife than anything else. Inspired by his young friend Erin Wilson, Mike contended with cancer with grace and courage. His strength and consideration for others were inspiring to his family and friends as well as the hundreds of strangers who knew of his story. Rather than complain about his circumstances, Mike chose to reflect on his life and death and to quietly share his love and knowledge with others, as was always his way. Mike will live on in the heart of every person who learned from his gentle, yet powerful spirit. Welcoming him into that great universal love as he passed were his grandmother Maureen Pennington, grandfather Hiram Blomquist, Sr., and his beloved dog, Tootsie. Mike leaves to celebrate his life his wife Kristy, sons Kameron and Adrian, and daughter Olivia, of the home; his mother Mary Blomquist, Overland Park; father Hiram Blomquist and stepmother Helen Thompson, Leawood; brother David Blomquist and girlfriend Michelle McDonald, both of Overland Park; stepsisters Hilary Allen and Christina Beynon and stepbrother Penn Allen, Leawood; grandfather Russell Pennington, aunt and uncle Jane and Ken Gamber, cousins Jeff Gamber and wife Debby, and Tom Gamber, cousin and dearest friend Matt Gamber and his wife Lisa, all of Hutchinson, KS; aunt Anne Simon, cousins Richard Hefling and wife Lois, Rachel Dukuze and husband Augustin, of New Brunswick, Canada; grandmother Virginia Blamquist, aunt Joan Harr and husband Tom, all of Prairie Village; uncle John Blomquist and family of Lenexa; uncle Bill Blomquist and family of Washington, D.C.; mother-in-law Kathy Britt and stepfather-in-law Michael Britt, Leawood; father-in-law Paul Lashmet, Jr., Kansas City; brothers-in-law Paul Lashmet III and Greg Lashmet, both of Kansas City, KS; dear friends Mark Bentz and family, Ottawa, Mark Simpson, Houston, TX, Charles Tippie and family, Leawood, Marcia, Dean, and Casey Katerndahl, Kansas City, KS, John Tibbetts, Lenexa; and a bazillion other family and friends throughout the universe. Contributions are suggested to the Mike Blomquist Memorial Scholarship Fund for American Kempo Karate Academy at the Bank of America, 4720 Jefferson, Kansas City, MO, 64112-1836. (Arr. McGilley and Hoge Chapel, 913-642-3565)