Blumanthal, Reinhold ‘Ron’ Herman, July 7, 1923- Dec. 28, 2013 Scottsbluff Star Herald Scottsbluff, Nebraska 9 Jan 2014 BRIDGEPORT — Reinhold (Ron) Herman Blumanthal, 90, passed away at Skyview Nursing Home in Bridgeport on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2013, where he was a resident since January 2013, after a courageous battle with cancer. Ron was born in Sutton, Neb. on July 7, 1923, to Ernest Sarah (Trautmann) Blumanthal. He was the fifth of seven children. He spent his early childhood growing up during the Great Depression. He always said “the grapes of wrath” was a good example of how they lived and tried to survive at that time. They built a shack on the back of an old Model T and traveled from Nebraska up through South Dakota and ending up in Scottsbluff, where his father finally found some work in the sugar beet and potato fields, working for various farmers. After his father passed away in 1938, Ron quit school to help support his mother and siblings with little more than a 6th grade education. They then moved to Geneva, Neb. to be closer to family. One of his first jobs there was setting up bowling pins for 10 cents a day. He also did some work for the government WPA program. Ron was confirmed on June 8, 1941 in the Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church of Geneva. In March of 1943 he was inducted into the United States Army where he served with the 34th “Red Bull” Infantry Division in the 3rd Army. Ron served as a machine gunner on a 3 or 4 man squad and after losing about a dozen men on his squad he said he thanked God for finally being transferred to a rifle company. He saw his first action in North Africa, then the invasion of Italy at Salerno, Monte Cassino and Volturno River where he was wounded. Ron was no longer able to perform combat duty and was shipped back to the states where he served as a military policeman in Colorado till the war was over. He was awarded the American Service Medal, African Middle Eastern Service Medal, WWII victory medal, Good Conduct Medal, Bronze Star and Purple Heart and four campaign or battle stars. After the war he moved to Alliance in 1946, where his brother Vic was living, and offered him work on a farm. He then hired out on the CB&Q Railroad as a car inspector, where Ron spent the next 38 years retiring from the Burlington Northern in 1983. He met his first wife Helen Stanis and were married in 1949, and to this union, one son was born, John Steven Blumanthal. They divorced and then he met his true love, Lillian Frances Morrish (Fran). They were married on Dec. 5, 1953 and to this union their seven children were born. They bought their first home at 518 West 2nd street in 1960 and raised their seven children in this small 2 bedroom house where there was never a dull moment. Ron loved bowling and was on many leagues and won many trophies over the years, and then an injury stopped his bowling. He loved woodworking, making and selling his windmills, bird houses, and other wooden lawn ornaments, which he nailed up everywhere around the yard, on fences, building etc. Ron loved to camp and fish and to travel up to the Black Hills, mainly to Keystone where he and Fran would watch the tourists and meet new friends. Survivors include his children, Robert Blumanthal of Alliance, Rhonda Albrecht of Sturgis, S.D., Rick Blumanthal (Kami) of Alliance, Roxann McCarty (Roy) of Bridgeport, Rene Welch of Hemingford, Ralynn Blumanthal of Alliance; brother-in-law, Tom Ackland of Sutton; sister-in-law, Janice Blumanthal Schweitzer of Mitchell, Sandy (Dean) Blumanthal of Henderson, Nev.; grandchildren, Rachel Workman (Brad) Omaha, Benjamin Blumanthal (Hannah) of Lincoln, Eric McCarty (Lyndsy) of Gering, Britni McCarty (David) of Bridgeport, Jeremy Jordan of Amherst Mass., Shannon Jordan (Patrick) of Columbia Tenn., Rebecca Maxwell (Andrew) of Casper Wyo., Eric Blumanthal of Hawaii, Hayden Blumanthal of Alliance, Lana Blumanthal of Alliance, Lilly Welch of Hemingford, Roy Thompson (Kristi) of Tilden, and 12 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews. Ron was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Frances; daughter, Rebecca; son, John; brothers, Victor, Albert, Norman; sisters, Dorothy Ackland, Irene Zebroff, Elizabeth Blumanthal; son-in-law, Dale Albrecht and daughter-in-law, Sandy Blumanthal. Card and condolences may be sent to the family of Ron Blumanthal at P.O. Box 293, Bridgeport Nebraska, 69336 Memorial services and interment at the Alliance Cemetery will be at a later date.