Earl Blohm, age 83, of Audubon, died on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at Cass Heath in Atlantic, Iowa. He was born the son of Harvey J. and Marie N. (Juel) Blohm in Carroll, Iowa, on October 26, 1942. Earl was baptized and confirmed at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Audubon. Earl attended Douglas No. 1 country school through the 6th grade and then went to Audubon Community Schools, graduating with the class of 1961.
After graduation, Earl worked at Lindholm Lumber for a year, then started farming with his father. In 1964, he joined the Army National Guard and was honorably discharged in 1970. On May 3, 1964, he married Carolyn Pratt at the First Presbyterian Church in Manning, Iowa. Four daughters were blessed to this union: Susan, Mary, Ellen & Stephanie. In 1965, he began farming in Douglas Township, and in 1968 they moved to a farm southeast of Manning. In 1975, the family moved to the home farm northwest of Audubon, where he raised hogs and planted row crops. In 2001, he retired from farming and began working as a truck driver for Farm Service CO-OP in Irwin. During harvest, he hauled grain for Dave & Dee Kerkhoff of Templeton.
Earl enjoyed going to town to visit with his many friends. He & Carolyn took numerous bus trips which they really enjoyed. Time spent with his daughters, grandkids, and great-grandkids was his true enjoyment. Earl was fond of penguins and western movies. Earl was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Audubon, serving as an usher, trustee & deacon. He served on the Pork Producer Boards of Carroll & Audubon counties. He was also a member of the Manning American Legion Post Emil Ewoldt #22 for 60 years.
Preceding him in death are his parents, sisters Alice Beaman & Barbara Blohm, and father and mother-in-law Raymond & Helen (McGrath) Pratt.
Earl is survived by his wife, Carolyn. Daughters: Susan (Gene) Mardesen of Elk Horn, Iowa; Mary (Shawn) Grassfield of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Ellen (Keith) Workman of Carroll, Iowa; and Stephanie Nissen of Audubon, Iowa. Grandchildren: Megan (Matt) Kapp of Ft. Collins, Colorado; Nick (Sabrina) Mardesen of Dunlap, Iowa; Natasha Ratzlaff of Marlborough, Massachusetts; Gregory Ratzlaff of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Bethany Ratzlaff of Chino Valley, Arizona; Vianna Ratzlaff of Des Moines, Iowa; Amber (Nick) Leiting of Carroll, Iowa; Aaron (McKenzie) Nissen of Audubon, Iowa; and Luke Nissen of Albia, Iowa. Great-grandchildren: William, Cooper, Korbin, Harvey, Mylie Jo, Norah, Myles, Kayce & McKinley; sisters: Janet (Pete) Henrikson and Julie (Mike) Stevens; and a brother-in-law: George Beaman. Along with other relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be held at 11 AM on Thursday, October 1, 2026, at the Schmidt Family Funeral Home in Audubon, with Jason Zaiger officiating. Burial will follow at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon, with military honors provided by American Legion Post 120 of Audubon. Visitation with the family present will be from 9:30 till the time of services at the funeral home.
Memorials can be made in his honor to the Audubon Fire and Rescue and left or mailed to the funeral home at PO Box 201, Audubon, IA. The Schmidt Family Funeral Home of Audubon is caring for the Blohm family at this time, and condolences can be sent at https://www.schmidtfamilyfh.com/obituaries/earl-blohm?ttm_pid=212502643&ttm _affiliate=legacypro&ttm_affiliatetype=standard&ttm_campaign=legacy
Sandra McGrath, Ruth (Sand) Crandall, Carolyn Pratt - old grade school
Helen & Ray Pratt
Raymond and Helen Pratt
Raymond Pratt came to Manning in 1940 from Correctionville as co-owner of the
Coast to Coast Store with his father Orin E. Pratt. Raymond
and Helen Frances McGrath were married in March of 1944. They had four
children. Helen died in 1985, and Raymond died in 1989. The following is an
update of their children (Carolyn, Dan, Kelly, and John) and eleven grandchildren.
Carolyn and Earl Blohm continue to live on a farm near Audubon. Carolyn is a
nurse at a local nursing home, and Earl, a retired farmer, works seasonally at
the local co-op. They have four married daughters: Sue and Gene Mardesen, Mary
and Rodney Ratzlaff, Ellen and Keith Workman, and Stephanie and Brett Nissen.
Carolyn and Earl have nine grandchildren.
Dan married Angela Kusel. They have two children and one grandson.
Kelly was a salesman for dairy cultures in Europe; he lived in Germany until
his death in 1991 at the age of forty-one. His wife Petra and daughter Elena
continue to live in Germany. Elena Pratt turned eighteen on May 6, 2005.
Kelly's two adult stepchildren Eveline and Frank live in Europe as well. Petra
and Elena make periodic trips to the United States to visit the other Pratt families.
John K. and Christine (Wirt) Pratt live in Kenosha, Wisconsin. John is a
chemist with Abbott Laboratory and Christine teaches eighth-grade science.
Their two children Daniel and Cara are actively involved in the local high school.
The extended Pratt family continues to reunite at various family locations
about once a year. Janie (Pratt) Callen (Ray's sister) and husband Ed continue
their long-time residence in Sitka, Alaska. John A. (Ray's brother) and Joann
(Wilhelm) Pratt live in Becker, Minnesota. The families last gathered in
Minnesota in 2004 to celebrate John and Joann's 50th wedding anniversary.