:quality(70):focal(1991x2358:2001x2368)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/H53D5D5UPZEJLB65SIXQ2BD7OA.jpeg)
Nancy Blobaum, 85, of West Des Moines, formerly of Pleasant Hill and Lovilia, died Saturday March 7, 2026, at Abor Springs in West Des Moines. Celebration of Life Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, March 14, at the Powers Funeral Home in Creston. Pastor Shelia Sutton will officiate. Burial will be in the St. Edwards Cemetery in Afton. Open visitation with family to receive friends will be from 10-11 a.m., at Powers Funeral Home in Creston prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are to the Alzheimer’s Association or Hope Animal Rescue of Iowa. Online condolences may be made at www.powersfh.com.
Nancy Kay Blobaum was born Jan. 12, 1941, to Orville Wright Barnes and Rose (Toltin) Barnes in Lovilia. At age four, Nancy started school at a one-room schoolhouse and had perfect attendance. She graduated from Lovilia High School in 1958.
On June 23, 1962, Nancy Barnes was united in marriage to Reed Stephen Blobaum in Lovilia. They settled in Nebraska for a short time and ran a tavern with a close friend in Platte Center. They returned to Iowa, and in 1970, the couple moved to Pleasant Hill with their three children. In 1987, she began working for the state of Iowa — first at the Department of Transportation, and then the revenue and finance department. She served in that position for 19 years, retiring in 2006. While in the Des Moines area, she was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church. Nancy enjoyed bowling, bocce, playing pinochle and watching Iowa and Iowa State football and basketball. She enjoyed a variety of crafts, including crocheting, sewing and embroidery.
Nancy is survived by her three children: Stephen (Denise) Blobaum of West Des Moines, David of Pleasant Hill and Jody (Ryan) McNaughton of Minneapolis, Minnesota; two sisters, Janice Friedmeyer of West Des Moines and Bobbi (Terry) Lawrence of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and two grandchildren, Rose Blobaum of Des Moines and Lyra Blobaum of West Des Moines.
Nancy was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Reed Blobaum in 2020 and her sister Barbara Cotter in 2022.