Blodgette, Louis "Louie" J. Obituary

Blodgette, Louis "Louie" J. attended Elk Grove High School in Elk Grove, CA. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about Blodgette, Louis "louie" J..

Graduation Year	Class of 1944
Date of Passing	Jun 30, 2012
About	Sloughhouse lost a lifetime resident with the death of Louis J. (Louie) Blodgett June 30, 2012, at the age of 86. Mr. Blodgett and his brother-in-law Alvin Ostman were responsible for starting one of the region's first "Choose and Cut" Christmas tree operations with the family partners creating the Blodgett and Ostman Tree Farm. Mr. Blodgett was born March 6, 1926 to Harvey and Muriel Blodgett who had come to Sloughhouse a couple of years before, settling on the Jared Sheldon ranch. He grew up there, attending the old Rhoads School with sister Lesley who commented that they rode their horses to school. He graduated from Elk Grove High School in 1944 and upon completion of his military service during World War II, returned home and enrolled in the VA program at the University of California, Davis to study livestock production. While there he was an active member of the Beta Phi fraternity and the shooting team. After college he was engaged in the family farming and ranching operations in Sacramento and Amador counties. Besides the Christmas tree farm, operations included the production of cattle, hay, hops and row crops in and around Sloughhouse and Amador City. Mr. Blodgett was active in the community, serving in leadership posts in several organizations including Reclamation District 800, Elk Grove Masonic Lodge No. 173, Scottish Rite, Omochumne Hartnell Water District and the Native Sons of the Golden West (NSGW), to which his father and brother-in-law also belonged. He was a trustee on the Cosumnes River Elementary School board, a board member of the Sacramento County Farm Bureau, a longtime member of the local U.S. Department of Agriculture Sacramento (now FSC) county committee, and was president of the Amador-El Dorado and Sacramento County Cattlemen's Association. His son Bruce said, "My dad had 85 great years on this earth where he could farm, hunt, fish, and do whatever he either needed or wanted to do...Nobody was a stranger in his home and it was not unusual to have several new faces at the dinner table for the evening all enjoying the fruits of his labor along with his wife's great cooking. "I was lucky to have my dad around for all of this time and to still have my family and friends to share stories about this great person. So, if you think about it this evening or any other evening, raise a glass and toast Louis Blodgett. That's the way he would want it...people remembering the good times." Mr. Blodgett was preceded in death by his brother-in-law Alvin Ostman in 1996. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Janice; sons Harvey (Margie), Louis Jr. (Merri), Brian (Debi) and Bruce (Pamela); daughter Johanne Blodgett; grandchildren Mindy (Justin Enos), Jason, Mykel, Joseph and Karen Blodgett. He was the brother of Lesley Ostman, and also leaves behind several nieces and nephews. No services are planned. Remembrances may be made to Sutter VNA & Hospice Foundation, 8330 Ferguson Ave., Sacramento, CA 95828. Cards or letters may be sent directly to the family at The Blodgetts, P.O. Box 1099, Sloughhouse, CA 59683. -Information from the Elk Grove Citizen Louis J. Blodgett, a rancher and grower whose Christmas tree farm in Sloughhouse was a popular holiday destination for families for many years, died June 30. He was 86 and had cancer, his family said. Mr. Blodgett's family ran livestock and crop operations on hundreds of acres in Amador and Sacramento counties. In 1961, he turned an experimental tree project by the UC Cooperative Extension on his land into one of the first choose-and-cut Christmas tree businesses in the area. He welcomed families who kicked off their holiday celebrations with a scenic drive in the country to his tree farm along Deer Creek and the Cosumnes River. He guided visitors through row after row of fresh Monterey and Scotch pines, Douglas firs, Sierra redwoods and incense cedars on 40 acres near his homestead off Sloughhouse Road. "Some people want an open tree. Some want a bushy tree. Some people come in and say, 'I can't find one I like,' and other people come out with just an average tree and they think they got the prettiest tree in the lot," he told The Bee in 1990. "I'm not going to argue with them." For 35 years, more than 1,000 trees were cut and sold on a good day at Blodgett & Ostman Tree Farm, which Mr. Blodgett turned into an agri-tourism venture. He encouraged families to picnic on the grounds and brought in farm animals for children to pet. He enjoyed catching up with many visitors who returned every year after Thanksgiving to cut their own trees. "My dad was very outgoing and would talk to anyone at length," said his son, Bruce. "You could always count on him to talk about anything. He loved having people visit." After Cosumnes River flooding damaged trees in 1997, however, Mr. Blodgett sold the land to a vintner. He remained busy with other farm operations but felt sad when families who continued for several years to arrive at the former tree lot near his home in December turned back outside a closed gate, his son said. Louis Jefferson Blodgett was born in Sacramento in 1926 to Harvey and Muriel Blodgett. He graduated from Elk Grove High School, served in the Army during World War II and studied livestock production at UC Davis. He joined his family's diversified agricultural operations - including cattle, hay, hops, Christmas trees and row crops - in the Sloughhouse and Amador City areas. He was married for 61 years to the former Janice Ostman and had five children. Mr. Blodgett served in leadership positions with Reclamation District 800 and Omochumne-Hartnell Water District. He served on the boards of Cosumnes River Elementary School and the Sacramento County Farm Bureau and was president of the Amador-El Dorado-Sacramento Counties Cattlemen's Association. Running a Christmas tree farm left Mr. Blodgett's family little time to prepare for their own holidays, including buying gifts. "We go through catalogs quite a bit, and there's always that last-minute rush," he said in his 1990 interview. But he always made time to help others find the perfect tree - even at the last minute. "One lady in particular has come the last couple of years on Christmas Eve - I guess it's a family tradition - and she comes right when we're sitting down to dinner," he said. "We have to go out with her and look around in the dark." -Special in the Sacramento Bee Louis Blodgett passed away on June 30th at his home surrounded by family. He was born in Sacramento on March 6, 1926 to Harvey and Muriel Blodgett. He attended Elk Grove High School and upon completion of his military service during World War II, Louis returned home and enrolled in the VA program at U.C. Davis to study livestock production. While at Davis, he was an active member of the Beta Phi Fraternity and the Shooting team. After college, he was engaged in the family farming and ranching operations in Sacramento and Amador Counties. Louis was responsible for starting one of the regions first "Choose and Cut" Christmas tree operations with the family partners creating the Blodgett and Ostman Tree farm. This was all part of the diversified farming and ranching operations that included the production of cattle, hay, hops, Christmas trees, and row crops in and around Sloughhouse and Amador City. Louis was quite active in the community serving leadership posts in a variety of organizations including Reclamation District 800, the Elk Grove Masonic Lodge #73, Scottish Rite, Native Sons of the Golden West, the Omochumne Hartnell Water District and a number of others. Also notable was his time serving as a Trustee on the Cosumnes River Elementary School, a board member of the Sacramento County Farm Bureau, a long-time member of the local US Department of Agriculture Sacramento ASC (now FSA) county committee and he served as the President of the Amador-El Dorado and Sacramento County Cattlemen's Association. Louis is survived by his wife of 61 years, Janice and his sister Lesley Ostman. He is also survived by his sons Harvey (Margie), Louis Jr. (Merri), Brian (Debi) and Bruce (Pamela) as well as daughter Johanne. His grandchildren are Mindy (Juston Enos), Jason, Mykel, Joseph and Karen Blodgett. In addition, his nieces, nephews, cousins and friends will miss him. Louis loved hunting, fishing, farming, flying and spending time with his family or talking to anyone about the issues of the day. Nobody was a stranger in his home and it was not unusual to have several new faces at the dinner table for the evening all enjoying the fruits of his labor along with his wife's great cooking. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent to the Sutter VNA & Hospice Foundation, 8330 Ferguson Ave., Sacramento, 95828. Cards or letters may be sent directly to the family at "The Blodgett's", P.O. Box 1099, Sloughhouse, CA 95683. No services are planned. -Information from the Sacramento Bee