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July 6, 1933 - July 6, 2024

Joseph Duitch Bloom, our precious, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather, affectionately known as “Poppy”, took his first and last breaths on the same day, 91 years apart. On July 6, 2024, we lost an inspiring patriarch, the very best of a human being. Heaven gained a shining new angel. Joe passed away peacefully at his home in La Jolla, California surrounded in love by his family and by his loving wife of 68 years, Mary.

Joe was born July 6, 1933 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Joseph Bender Bloom, MD, and Alma Christine Duitch, RN. He attended Schenley High School competing on the swim and track teams. He continued his education at the University of Pittsburgh and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in chemistry in 1954. Undergraduate honors included Phi Eta Sigma, Pi Tau Phi, and Phi Beta Kappa.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Joe attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. His daughter Gretchen later graduated from there and her daughter Emily is a current 3rd year student, making 4 generations of Pittsburgh School of Medicine graduates. It was during medical school when Joe met the love of his life, Mary Leone, from Greensburg, Pa. while she was a research assistant in the pathology laboratory of Dr. Frank Dixon.

In 1958, his 4th year of medical school, Joe joined the United States Navy which would take him on an exciting, prestigious career. Joe completed his internship at Bethesda Naval Hospital followed by a Masters program in Radiation Biology at the University of Rochester, NY.

As a medical officer, Joe was recruited by Admiral Rickover to join the nuclear submarine fleet, “the Silent Service”. Joe’s role included leadership in radiation biology, radioisotope techniques, nuclear medicine, and overseeing reactor facilities. Joe completed the medical officer’s course in diving-medicine at the Navy Deep Sea Divers School at the Navy Yard in Washington D.C. He wore a hard hat diving helmet and a full body dry diver’s suit. Years later, with his experience, he assisted in the calculations and diving decompression tables used for the construction of the transbay tube under the San Francisco Bay built for the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) subway system.

Under the nuclear program, Joe was assigned to the Medical Officer’s Course, Submarine School New London, in Connecticut. Joe was then assigned to be the Medical Officer at the atomic energy commission’s Navy Reactors Facility in Idaho Falls. Tragically, the Army’s nuclear reactor (SL-1) went critical and exploded on his first day of work. It was the first nuclear reactor accident in the history of the United States.

From Idaho Falls, Joe was assigned as the Medical Officer during the construction of the Thresher first-in-class nuclear fast attack submarine, SSN 594 Permit, commissioned at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, in Vallejo, California. It was aboard the sea trials that Joe earned his dolphins and became a plank owner of this revolutionary attack submarine. This submarine was used in the filming of The Hunt for Red October. After a two year assignment to submarine Squadron 5 at Ballast Point, San Diego, Joe returned to a 3 year clinical Internal Medicine residency at the Naval Hospital Oakland, CA followed by a postgraduate training in chest disease at the Naval Hospital San Diego in 1967. Joe qualified and became a fellow with the American College of Chest Physicians (FACC) adding to his fellowship with the American College of Physicians (FACP).

From 1968 to 1972, the family moved East again as he became the Officer in Charge and the Director of the Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory at the Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut. From there, the family returned back to San Diego where Joe became the Chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine and Residency Programs at the Naval Regional Medical Center. At this point Joe planned to retire from the Navy, but the Navy Surgeon General, Admiral Arentzen, had other plans for him. Joe agreed to one more tour of duty and ended up back where his Navy career began in Bethesda. Here Joe became Commanding Officer of the Naval Medical Research and Development Command. His numerous duties included overseeing NMRI (Naval Medical Research Institute, USA) and overseeing naval medical research and development worldwide. This included responsibilities in Taiwan, Cairo, Egypt, Manila, Philippines, and Southeast Asia. At the end of this assignment, Joe opened a new facility with the Fuerza Naval De La Amazon, Quitos, Peru.

Joe retired as a Navy Captain, after serving for 26 years, in 1980. He earned many Navy medals, including the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Unit Citation, and the Founder’s Medal Award from the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States.

Joe was not one to sit still and always looked forward to a challenge. Joe’s civilian career began as the Medical Director with Rockwell International Energy Systems Group, near beautiful Boulder, Colorado. In 1982 he transferred to Rockwell International, North American Aviation operations in Los Angeles, California to work with aircrafts instead of submarines. There he established the foundation for the medical program supporting the B-1 bomber contract. Major challenges included rapid, comprehensive medical evaluations of over 20,000 employees at three separate sites in Los Angeles. He was also in charge of initiating one of the first drug screening programs in the aerospace industry. Following his time at Rockwell, he became the Medical Director of Advance Systems Northrop Corporation to establish medical support programs for the Air Force stealth bomber development and production in Pico Rivera, California. This job included the development of an effective executive physical examination and medical surveillance program in a highly technological aerospace environment. The Northrop job led Joe to become the Corporate Medical Director of Hughes Aircraft Company, also in Los Angeles, from 1984 to 1989. During this time the company became General Motors Hughes Electronics Corporation. Joe’s responsibilities included director of safety, industrial hygiene, and environmental health problems, spanning both interstate and international operating divisions and environmental protection programs throughout the corporation. Major assignments included developing and implementing a medical disaster plan in the event of uncontrolled release of toxic materials.

After 10 years commuting to the Los Angeles area, Joe returned to San Diego to become a consultant in internal medicine, pulmonary disease, environmental and occupational toxicology, and radiation biology. He was an Associate Professor of Medicine at the UCSD School of Medicine from 1974 to 1977, and the Environmental School of Medicine in Irvine, CA. Other endeavors included an advanced program in human resources management at UCLA and participation in the Residency Advisory Committee for Occupational Medicine at the USC School of Medicine. In addition to these many titles and accomplishments, Joe always said he was a medical doctor first. Joe was a healer with deep compassion and outstanding bedside manners for the many patients that he devoted his life to treat and care for. Combined with the Navy fleet of nuclear submarines, military hospital staff and corporate defense contractors Joe cared for people for over 57 years. After Joe’s Navy career and his roles as the medical director for Rockwell International, Northrop Corporation, Hughes Aircraft, and the AEC (Atomic Energy Commission) he joined the staff at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla. He practiced Internal Medicine and Pulmonary Disease for an additional 11 years. Joe also performed physical exams for the prestigious Scripps Center for Executive Health.

Joe always felt the importance of giving back to his community and his fellow military veterans. In the early 90’s he volunteered at the VA hospital in La Jolla and mentored pulmonary Fellows during clinical sessions. Along with his private practice, Joe spent over 20 years providing entrance physical exams and caring for the VA vets in residential treatment and recovery at Veterans Village of San Diego (VVSD) when it was an old historic motel on Pacific Highway across from the Marine Corps base MCRD. He watched it grow into the beautiful facility it is today.

Joe was initially diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2008 which he managed well with medication. Joe finally retired completely in 2015. His symptoms then began progressing and he bravely endured the debilitating effects of this terrible disease. His family lovingly cared for him in his home until his passing. The family is deeply grateful and appreciative of all the VA home healthcare aides as well as private aides that helped with his care. The Vitas Healthcare hospice team was incredibly supportive at the time of his transition.

Despite Joe’s impressive career and numerous accomplishments, above all else he was a family man. Joe was passionate about his family. His family of 9 (plus dogs and usually a rabbit!) camped in a big green tent numerous times traveling across the country in a Mercury station wagon. In 1972, Joe surprised the family with a brand new Winnebago and the adventures continued in much more modern comfort. Travels included visiting and exploring the majority of the United States and many National Parks, the provinces of Canada from New Brunswick (Bay of Fundy) to Vancouver, BC, and Baja California, Mexico became a favorite spot for camping and surf trips. Joe loved to sing songs with his family as they traveled. He taught them quite a repertoire of favorite songs all sung loudly, with gusto and off key. The family enjoyed many historical sites and much natural beauty. Joe cared deeply for nature and his commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability was exemplary.

Family time was also spent boating. There are many memories of sailing on the family sailboat “Moonlighter” on the Thames River in Connecticut and San Diego waters. He loved teaching his kids nautical skills and how to waterski. Joe was in his glory putting around the San Diego Harbor on his beloved motorboat “El Gusto” with his kids and grandkids.

Joe shared his love and respect of animals with his family. The home always included a menagerie of dogs and puppies, cats and kittens, rabbits, guinea pigs, sheep, and even the beloved horse, Princess Emily. He always treated animals with loving compassion and kindness and was a wonderful role model in this regard.

Joe was a voracious reader of every genre. His home is filled with books. While raising his seven children, Sundays always included a large family dinner followed by his poetic voice reading from the children’s bible. He always ended the readings with his favorite, the 23rd Psalm. He recited poetry and retold fairy tale classics. Favorites were the story of Belinda and the Dragon, The Owl and the Pussycat, and the poems Barbara Frietchie, The Charge of the Light Brigade, The Raven, If, and the Rime of the Ancient Mariner. The Christmas Eve large Italian family tradition of the Feast of the Seven Fishes was always followed by Joe reading “Twas The Night Before Christmas.” These traditions continue with Joe’s grandchildren.

Perhaps a normal man in height, Joe was a giant patriarch of steadfast virtues, a role model, a beacon of light, hope and good advice, with a comforting heart that warmed everyone in his presence.

Joe is greatly missed by his devoted wife Mary, his seven children: Laura (Mike Doyle), Rose (Tony Kampmann), Joe, Becky (Mike Hatch), Gretchen, Amy, and Peter. He is also survived by his 13 grandchildren, Joey Bloom (Angenette), Jenny Bloom (Scott Chenoweth), Nicki Bloom, Chelsea Kampmann (Henry Carnevale), Molly Kampmann, Tori Kampmann, Carlie Kampmann, Michael Hatch (Mandy Mekhail), Eva Hatch (Kyle Elmblad), Will Hatch, Maria Hatch, Courtney Gainor (Michael Rhodes) and Emily Gainor. His 8 great grandchildren include Sage and Sonny Chenoweth, Joey, Rowan, and Caden Bloom, Ella Elmblad, and Hank and Penelope Carnevale. He is also survived by the family's beloved boxer Lucy, his faithful 4 legged companion who spent lots of dedicated time by his side watching over and protecting him. He was a boxer lover to the end.

Joe will receive full military honors and will be laid to rest at the Miramar National Cemetery. A reception and celebration of his life will follow. Please contact the family for details.

In lieu of flowers, the family would be honored if you wish to make a donation in the memory of Joseph Duitch Bloom to any of the following 3 organizations. Please note on any donation that it is in memory of Dr. Joseph D. Bloom.

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research :

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research

Grand Central Station PO Box 4777, New York, NY 10163 Donations can also be made at https://www.michaeljfox.org/d…

Brain Support Network :

Brain Support Network

PO Box 7264, Menlo Park, CA 94026 Donations can also be made at https://www.brainsupportnetwo…

Veterans Village of San Diego :

ATTN: Development

Veterans Village of San Diego

4141 Pacific Highway, San Diego, CA 92110 Donations can also be made at https://vvsd.net/donate

Fair Winds and Following Seas

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