Evelyn Bloomberg (Evelyn Anne Peterson) October 30, 1929 - April 12,
2020. She is preceded in death by her sister Marian Bruin, Everett Pringle and her husband Lloyd Bloomberg. She is survived by her daughter, Anne Pringle Burnell, (Mark Burnell), Howard Pringle, (Lisa Pringle), sister Reverend Carol Westphal, grandchildren Shelby Pringle, Jessica Quinn, (great grandchildren Aiden and Caleb).
Evelyn was born in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. She was he first of three daughters born to missionaries Leonore Klaassen and Floyd Carlisle Peterson, who spent 35 years serving in Cambodia as Christian Missionaries of the Wealthy Street Baptist Church of Grand Rapids, MI. Returning to the states at age 16, Evelyn finished high school and then graduated from West Suburban Hospital in nursing in 1951. She served as a nurse for 58 years at Kalamazoo and area hospitals: State Hospital, Bronson, Borgess, Battle Creek VA, and home health organizations in Engelwood, FL and Lincoln City, OR, as well as private care. She retired from nursing in 1999 at age 79.
During World War II, the Evelyn and her family were prisoners of war from November 1941 until the end of the war First confined to their home in Phnom Penh until April of 1943. Then ordered by the Japanese to move to a large French barracks building in the town of My Tho, 40 kilometers from Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). On March 9, 1945, everything changed when the Japanese took over the country from the French. On September 2, 1945, the war was over but Evelyn and her family were not informed until weeks later. In October of 1945 the family boarded a US troop transport carrying soldiers returning to the US. They arrived in New YorkCity in November of 1945. Evelyn turned 16 during the voyage..
Evelyn worked as a nurse in Oak Park, IL, and Kalamazoo, MI, and then
opened The Rustic Inn, a Bed & Breakfast in Oregon with her husband Lloyd Bloomberg. During this time she continued her nursing career as a home healthcare nurse. Evelyn and Lloyd then moved to Florida and she continued her work as a home healthcare nurse until 1999. After Lloyd's passing Evelyn moved to Chicago to be closer to her daughter, Anne, and began singing in the choir at Maple Pointe Apartments, led by her friend Sheila Jones, and made several guest appearances with Anne & Mark Burnell in nightclubs and cabarets across the city.
Evelyn attended church at Gorham United Methodist Church, where her
son-in-law, Mark, is a minister of music. Evelyn loved singing and sang in many choirs throughout her life. Recently she lived and was cared for by the Little Sisters of the Poor, Chicago. Her faith in God was evident by her care for her patients, and her service to Him. As a Parish Nurse, she began a community exercise class at First Baptist Englewood with DVD's made by her daughter, and appeared in subsequent Stronger Seniors videos.
The family would like to thank the Sisters and staff at Little Sisters of the Poor for their excellent care and love provided to Evelyn and her family during her stay. Their compassion and respect for Evelyn allowed her to live with dignity as a part of the community.
Faith donations in remembrance can be made to:
Little Sisters of the Poor, 2325 N. Lakewood, Chicago IL 60614,
https://www.littlesistersofthepoorchicago.org/donate-to-st-marys-home/
World Vision, a non-for-profit dear to mom's heart where you can sponsor a child from Cambodia.
https://www.worldvision.org/sponsor-a-child/
Gorham United Methodist Church 5600 S. Indiana, Chicago IL 60637
http://gorhamumc.org/index.php/donate/
A service for the family is planned for later this summer for Evelyn and her sister Marian Bruin in Silver Lake, Michigan. A musical celebration of her life will be planned at a later date.