Bloom, Jessie S. (1887–1980)

Jessie Spiro Bloom was born on December 17, 1887, in Dublin, Ireland, to Leon and Olga Spiro. At the age of 21, she left home to begin work as a secretary in London, England, the first of her many adventures. While in London, Bloom became involved in the growing women's suffrage movement—participating in rallies and distributing prosuffrage newspapers. In 1909, she joined the Women's Suffrage League (WSL) in working towards passage of a suffrage law. Her advocacy for women became a life-long passion.

In 1910, Jessie met Robert L. Bloom, a second cousin, while both were vacationing in Dublin. Two years later, the couple married and soon after immigrated to Alaska. Robert was born on October 15, 1878, in Siaulie, Lithuania. His family moved to Dublin when he was eight years old. At the age of 19, he joined the gold rush in Alaska, and like so many unfortunate prospectors, had little success. Subsequently, he traveled to Seattle, Washington, in search of work to earn funds to be able to return to Alaska. He managed to save enough to return to Fairbanks in 1904, and established a general merchandise and hardware store. Robert was successful enough to afford a vacation back to Dublin, where he met his future wife, and subsequently brought her back to Alaska.

Once they had immigrated to Alaska, the couple succeeded in contributing to and enriching their local community. The couple cofounded the Fairbanks Airplane Company and in 1925 Jessie became one of the first women in Alaska ever to ride in an airplane. She also established the first kindergarten in Fairbanks in 1918. Jessie organized Alaska's first Girl Scout Troop in 1926, and the Girl Scout Training Center located there is named in her honor. The couple was also well known for their conservation efforts in Alaska. They were passionate supporters of campaigns to set aside wildlife preserves and opposed projects that could pose a threat to the state's natural environment

The Blooms also played an integral role in building and promoting Alaska's Jewish community. Robert served as chairman of the Jewish Welfare Board, and the couple served as unofficial chaplains for Jewish servicemen stationed in Alaska during World War II. Later, Robert was a member of an advisory board that helped raise support for an air force base in Alaska.

The Blooms also raised a family in Alaska. They had four daughters: Meta Buttnick, Dr. Olga Bloom Backer, Dr. Deborah Kaplan, and Ruth Ibbetson. Following World War II, the family—Jessie Bloom, her husband, and their four children—finally settled in Seattle. Robert died there in April of 1974 at the age [Page 68]of 95. Jessie remained in Seattle, in close contact with the friends, activities, and causes she had left behind in Alaska, until her death in December of 1980 at the age of 92.