Randolph Byrd Bloxom

Randolph 'Randy' Byrd Bloxom, beloved father, husband, and friend, passed away suddenly in the early hours of September 4, 2024, at the age of 63. Words cannot fully capture the depth of his love for his wife, children, family, and friends, nor the profound impact he had on their lives. His boundless love and generous spirit will be deeply missed by all who knew him. We have been consumed by unbearable pain and sorrow since his passing, and the void he leaves behind is immeasurable. Yet, in our grief, we find comfort in the countless memories of his warmth, humor, laughter, and unwavering support, which will remain with us forever.
Randy Bloxom was born on August 15th, 1961 to the late Etta Butler Carey Bloxom and Dr. W. R. "Pep" Bloxom. He is survived by his loving wife of 34 years, Nancy Powell Bloxom, and their two children and their partners, William Byrd Bloxom and Kayla Latham, and Bonnie Sue Bloxom and Tristan Rekdahl. He will be remembered by his siblings, Carolyn C. Senter and Richard N. Carey Jr., along with his brothers- and sister-in-laws, Hattie Sue Widdowson, Keith Widdowson, Glenn Powell, and Jerry Wayne Senter. He was preceded in death by his sisters-in-law, Irene Carey and Cindy Powell Cole. Randy was a cherished uncle to Jennifer and Tim Darcy, Richard and Jen Carey, Justin and Amanda Senter, Carey and Mark Zinneman, and Rhi Powell and Greg Compton. He was fondly known as "great-uncle Randy" to his many great-nieces and great-nephews.
Randy was truly at his happiest when surrounded by friends, family, and his dogs. He and Nancy shared a deep and enduring bond over 43 years, and they would have celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary on November 17th. Nancy was the first mate to his captain on their pontoon boat and his spirited pickleball partner and frequent rival. After Will's diagnosis of Fanconi Anemia (FA) in 1997, Randy and Nancy faced the challenge of raising a child with a rare, chronic illness with incredible strength and devotion. They became Will's greatest advocates, dedicating countless hours to supporting FA causes, organizing fundraisers, and traveling with Will for appointments across the country including Children's Minnesota, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Johns Hopkins, and Sloan Kettering. Randy was known to carry around his "FA bible," a binder full of research studies, Will's medical records, and information on Fanconi Anemia, to every appointment. In 2015, Randy and Will moved out to Seattle so that Will could participate in a clinical trial for gene therapy for Fanconi Anemia patients. During Will's bone marrow transplant in 2020, Randy was a steadfast anchor, maintaining stability at home while Nancy and Will were up in NYC.
Randy will be remembered for his humor, his love of music, ice cream, reading, and deep, thoughtful discussion. He was always willing to lighten the mood and never afraid to make a joke, even about himself. He enjoyed reading and when his children were young, he gave them near unlimited access to buy books claiming "what kind of father would I be if my children wanted to read, and I denied them?" Every morning and night you could find Randy in front of his iPad devouring a wide range of news sources and podcasts, especially the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg. He would become animated or introspective during the discussion of the many topics he enjoyed following, oftentimes following up via email days or weeks later, after ruminating or conducting further research on a particular point. His fervor and passion for business, politics, and world events was palpable, and he instilled this intellectual curiosity and love for learning in his children.
Randy had a special place in his heart for all animals, but Labrador Retrievers were his true soft spot. His constant companion, Princess Kate, was always by his side in the office. Randy and Nancy often grew emotional as they reminisced about Raven, Holly, Mr. Jake, Tess, Cedar, and Sport-the dogs who brought them endless joy and who were an inseparable part of their lives throughout their 43 years together. Their furry companions were truly part of the Bloxom family.
Randy always wanted to be outdoors, especially on the water. He was native to the Eastern Shore of Maryland and the Wicomico River was his lifelong playground. He found tranquility at his home on the Wicomico Creek, where he could watch eagles, herons, kingfishers, and ospreys soar by, see catfish leap from the creek, nutrias roam the marsh, and hear crickets chirp and cicadas buzz. The serene beauty of the sunrises and sunsets provided him with endless moments of reflection and joy. He enjoyed fishing, boating, kayaking, paddleboarding, and was known as an excellent barefoot water skier in his younger days. He loved taking early morning jet ski rides when the creek's water was smooth as glass. He and Nancy spent most summer weekends out on their boat and continued as long as the fall weather held. As kids, Bonnie and Will would always beg him to take them tubing, waterskiing, or kneeboarding, and he almost always obliged-despite their reluctance to join him for fishing trips. This might explain why their boat was once named 'Shut Up and Fish.' Randy loved having a boat full of people and in recent years he began venturing out to Assateague and around Ocean City.
He was extremely competitive, and when he played, he played to win. The attic was filled with golf and tennis trophies from his younger years, a testament to his skill and competitive spirit. Recently, he had begun to rekindle that passion, trading his tennis racket for a pickleball paddle. If he had a willing partner, you could find him out on the Harmon courts, rediscovering his love for the game, savoring every win against his opponents. Randy enjoyed golfing, cherished his extensive vinyl record collection that he shared with his daughter, and never turned down a chance to play cards-especially his favorite, Oh Hell.
Randy had a deep passion for travel, particularly to places where he could connect with nature. At the age of 9, his parents, Pep and Etta, took him on a once-in-a-lifetime journey around the world, visiting countries like Egypt, India, and Ethiopia. In 2018, Randy, Nancy, Will, and Bonnie spent two unforgettable weeks in Italy, exploring Rome, Naples, the Amalfi Coast, Venice, Verona, Milan, Florence, Pisa, and Lake Como-a trip they still talk about to this day. In 2022, while Bonnie was living in Portland, Oregon, Randy and Nancy flew out to join her for an epic adventure. Together, they drove up to British Columbia, Canada where they rode e-bikes around Vancouver, drove the Sea-to-Sky highway on the way up to Whistler, went whale watching in Victoria, ziplined in the mountains, and made their way back down through Washington State and along the Oregon Coast. One of Randy's greatest aspirations was to visit all the national parks, a dream his family will now carry forward in his honor.
Randy was an active and well-loved member of his community, dedicating his time to the Lions Club of Allen and the Wicomico Yacht Club. He previously attended St. John's United Methodist Church in Fruitland, Maryland and was a prior member of Green Hill Country Club. He was a staunch advocate for education and the arts and sciences, as well as many non-profit organizations including the Fanconi Cancer Foundation and the ALS Association.
Randy attended high school at St. Andrews in Middletown, Delaware and then went on to study at Tulane University and Salisbury University, earning a degree in finance before becoming a Certified Public Accountant. He built a successful accounting career at Carey Distributors and Perdue. Later, after partnering with Mickey Calhoun in his accounting practice, Randy took over the business and established Bloxom Associates LLC. He took immense pride in his business and cherished the relationships he built with his clients. Providing thoughtful care for their financial matters was his greatest honor. We extend our deepest gratitude to his business partners and clients for their enduring support and loyalty throughout the years.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to the Fanconi Cancer Foundation, supporting Fanconi Anemia and associated cancers, at fundraise.fanconi.org/RandyBloxom.
A gathering to celebrate Randy's life will take place at the Wicomico Yacht Club (3346 Yacht Club Rd, Eden, MD) on October 19th at 12:00pm, with speakers beginning at 1:00pm. Contact Bonnie Bloxom at bobloxom@gmail.com with any questions. We invite you to join us in honoring Randy's memory and sharing the love and joy he brought into our lives. Your presence and support will be greatly appreciated as we come together to remember and celebrate the remarkable life he lived.