Oct. 13, 1943 - Jan. 15, 2026
The Zoom link to attend the 2:30pm funeral service virtually is: <https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83770103625> Meeting ID: 816 3091 9565 / Password:PTBE
Jordan Bloom, who was known for his irrepressible passion for music and keen sense of humor, died Jan. 15 at age 82. He was surrounded by his three children - Michael, Nicole and Jon - who sang "Hail to California," the alma mater song of his beloved UC Berkeley, in his final moments.
Music was the throughline and great joy of Jordan's life, so much so that he retired from a successful law career at age 59 to spend more than two decades pursuing his love of Dixieland, Big Band Swing and even Bavarian music by playing trombone and baritone with a myriad of groups. At family celebrations, Jordan was renowned for improvising with whichever musical performer was on hand. At home, he had an unofficial quartet with his three children, who all inherited his musical talent, especially Nicole on clarinet and piano. And at Burlingame's Peninsula Temple Shalom, he was the go-to shofar blower for two decades, holding the record for the longest tekiah gedolah.
He passed away just a year and a week after the death of his wife, Judy Gold Bloom, his childhood sweetheart. He is remembered by family and friends for his uproarious laugh, joke telling, the exuberance he brought to his performances at events like the Old Sacramento Dixieland Jazz Jubilee, his die-hard loyalty to his favorite sports teams and the quiet pride he took in the accomplishments of his children and grandchildren.
Jordan Lee Bloom was born on Oct. 13, 1943, in Milwaukee, the oldest child of Harry and Adele Bloom. When he was nine, the Bloom family moved to Sacramento, where both his parents ended up working for the state government. At an early age, Jordan discovered his love of trombone, eventually playing for the dance band at Sacramento High School. As a teenager, he met his future wife, Judy, through Jewish youth group.
When he began his studies as an undergraduate at Berkeley, he immediately joined the Cal Band, forming friendships that remained constant through his life. After graduating with a degree in economics, he attended Boalt Hall School of Law, then got his first job at the National Labor Relations Board. He and Judy were married in 1966.
His first trial was interrupted by the birth of his son, Michael, but that didn't slow down his legal career. After going up against him and getting a sense of his fierce advocacy for his clients, the law firm Littler Mendelson quickly hired Jordan away from the NLRB. He worked as a partner at the firm until his retirement in 2003, representing companies in labor disputes and negotiations.
Even as his legal career flourished, Jordan kept up his love of music, filling in with the San Mateo High School pit orchestra with his kids for student performances such as "West Side Story." Family trips included many, many Cal football games and visits to Berkeley's Lair of the Golden Bear Camp Gold family camp, where he was at his most relaxed, sometimes tying Ritz crackers to a fishing line to go "birding."
Sought after in his field, Jordan had a corner office with an expansive view of San Francisco, but decided to retire early. "He loved relationships and solving problems and tackling issues in law, but not the business of law," said his son Michael. "He preferred quality of life over billable hours."
Jordan would spend the next twenty three years immersed in music and performance, largely through the San Francisco men's club, The Family. He also performed with the West Bay Community Band, a banjo band and the Chico Bavarian Band, with which he traveled to Munich to perform at Octoberfest. Jordan served on the Board of Mills-Peninsula Medical Center and Mission Hospice.
He was also a deeply dedicated sports fan, rooting intensely for all the Cal teams, along with the 49ers, the Golden State Warriors, Giants and Raiders. He was such a stalwart fan that when the Cal basketball team finally ended a long losing drought to UCLA, he went out and bought himself a Nissan 300ZX sports car.
His son Jon spent many evenings sitting by his side watching games, an experience that eventually drove him to pursue a career in sports broadcasting. "As a little kid, I would make a comment and then a few minutes later the broadcaster would say the same thing," recalled Jon. "My dad would say, 'Didn't you just say that?' I felt encouraged by him to follow this crazy dream."
In retirement, Jordan learned to love cats, he and Judy joined Peninsula Temple Beth El and continued their travels at home and abroad.
Along with his children, he is survived by his daughters-in-law Diane, Sue and Jill; his grandchildren Miriam, Elena, Evan, Marlee, and Anya; his sister Judy Settles and so many other relatives and friends. May his memory be a blessing.