Obituary: Rita Krachmer Bloom

Rita Krachmer Bloom, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend died peacefully on June 26, 2026. She was 83 years old.

Rita was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1943. She moved with her family to Miami in 1958 just before she started 10th grade. After graduating from Miami Beach High School, Rita attended Sophie Newcomb College of Tulane University where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa. A highlight of her college days was spending a semester abroad in Leeds, England, where she was introduced to a hot new English band called The Beatles.

After college, Rita attended Brandeis University to study organic chemistry, ultimately receiving a master’s degree. While at Brandeis, she went on a blind date with a law student named Herschel Bloom, who became the love of her life and her cherished husband of 59 years until his passing in January 2026.

Rita and Herschel moved south to Mississippi in 1968 and then to Atlanta in 1969 where they lived for the rest of their lives. With Atlanta came additions to the family, first Lawton in 1970, then Robert in 1973. The Blooms were a family obsessed with sports, especially baseball, but Rita liked to brag that she was the only one in the family who saw Joe DiMaggio play when her father took her from Iowa to Chicago to see the Yankees play the White Sox.

In addition to raising her family, Rita was active in the community. She served on the board of Temple Sinai and was chair of the Education and Music Committees. She was the head of the Cantorial Search Committee, traveling around the country with Rabbi Kranz to interview prospects.

Rita also began to work with the Atlanta Council for Children’s Television, an organization that worked to improve the quality of television programming for children by promoting educational content and encouraging responsible broadcasting practices, including commercials. She eventually became president of the organization. When it came to concern about children’s screentime and exposure to marketing, Rita was ahead of her time. This children’s-TV advocacy led Rita into a role with the Atlanta city government, first as chair of the cable TV advisory board, then in the office of Mayor Andrew Young as the city’s cable franchise coordinator.

After retiring from city government, Rita pursued her passions for art, classical music, and Judaism. She learned to paint and to play piano. She baked challah on Fridays at the William Bremen Jewish Home and loved attending Shabbat services at Temple Sinai. She traveled the world from Alaska to China to visit her sons. She went to the Metropolitan Opera in New York and frequently attended the Atlanta Symphony, where she served on the board. For over 25 years, she enjoyed spending two weeks every summer in Aspen, Colo., for its highly acclaimed music festival. She packed her days there with concerts, rehearsals, and master classes, and especially loved visiting the music school and watching students learn and perform. Later in life, Rita loved to spend time with her grandchildren, cherishing Thanksgiving time in particular when all five grandchildren were under her roof. She made stuffed cabbage on Wednesday, turkey on Thursday, and helped the grandkids make their own challahs on Friday.

Rita will be remembered for her kindness, elegance, sharp intellect, and deep love for her family and friends. She is survived by her sister, Sally Rabe, her brother, Jay Krachmer, her sons, Lawton and Robert; Lawton’s wife, Brettne; Robert’s wife, Courtney, and her five grandchildren, Jordan, Eloisa, Mason, Anna, and Owen, who were her pride and joy.

A memorial service celebrating Rita’s life was held on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at 1 p.m. at Temple Sinai, 5645 Dupree Dr NW, Sandy Springs, GA 30327.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Rita’s memory can be made to the following organizations: Jewish HomeLife or Aspen Music Festival and School. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.