GOSHEN — Retired businessman and former Goshen City Councilman Bill Bloss, 79, died Wednesday morning after a seven-month battle with cancer.
Bloss grew up in Goshen, first working in the vegetable fields of East Goshen for 7 cents an hour. He had a 23-year career with Midwestern Rubber Co., served 28 years on the City Council and also ran Bloss Monument Co. with his wife Martha for 25 years.
Bloss was the 2012 chairman of the Celebrate America organization, which provides scholarships to middle school students and hosts the July 4 fireworks show at Goshen.
Retired businessman Al Lane, who helps organize Celebrate America, said he knew Bloss when he served on the Goshen City Council.
“He was a very effective councilman,” Lane said. “I got to know him very well as we worked together the past nine years on Celebrate America. He was set to be president of the organization for two years.”
Bloss did “every kind of job” with Celebrate America. He had a very positive attitude, Lane said.
“I was so pleased that he would serve as president. He was involved in planning the dinner coming up this month,” Lane said. “He was a very good friend. He went so quickly.”
Mayor Al Kauffman said he served many years on the Goshen City Council with Bloss and got along with his fellow councilman. He said Bloss served 28 years, while Kauffman was a councilman for 16 years.
“We got along fine. He was a little more conservative than I was,” Mayor Kauffman said Wednesday evening. He said even after Bloss was retired from the council, he still attended meetings as he was concerned about the community.
“He was a Red Coat at the hospital and active in his church. He gave a lot of his time,” Mayor Kauffman pointed out. “He seemed to maintain his youth. He didn’t look his age.”
Long-time city councilman Paul Scott called Bloss a friend.
“I liked Bill. We always got along,” Scott said. “Bill always watched out for the taxpayers.”
Scott said Bloss credited him for encouraging him to run for City Council. “He said I talked him into running for council. I did.”
Bloss first won election to the council in 1975 when Steven Chisick was elected mayor. After the first council meeting in 1976, an observer told Scott that no one would influence Bloss.
“Bill was such as great guy,” said Chuck Cheek, retired Goshen High School teacher and leader in the Celebrate America organization. “He fought the fight. He was doing what God wanted him to do. He was such a neat guy to be around.”
“He will be missed. He was just a good old guy who did the right thing,” Cheek said. “I taught their girls in school. It was such a joy.”
Bloss was president of the Elkhart County 4-H Fair in 1981.
Herb Maust, who was president in 1980, said Bloss was responsible for putting colorful flags on top of fair buildings for many years. “He was at our fair board meeting just last month,” Maust said.
Services for Bloss are planned at 10 a.m. Saturday at Yoder-Culp Funeral Home. Visitation is Friday afternoon and evening.
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Bill Bloss
Longtime friend of city dies
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