
Obituary
Saturday
8
February
Visitation
10:00 am - 11:00 am
Saturday, February 8, 2025
Lesko Funeral Home, Pre-Planning & Cremation Services
1209 Post Road
Fairfield, Connecticut, United States
(203) 256-8988
Saturday
8
February
Burial
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm
Saturday, February 8, 2025
Aspetuck Cemetery
Black Rock Turnpike
Easton, Connecticut, United States


Obituary of Lois Bloom
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Lois Bloom Who Studied How Children Learn Language
Lois Bloom, whose path breaking research on the development of language in young children won her distinction in the field, passed away on January 14th. Through her early detailed transcriptions of young children learning to talk, she identified the importance of context in understanding how children learn words and sentences as they engage with the people and objects in their worlds. Her work centered on the agency of the child in development – that the child is active in the effort required to share meaning with others – in contrast to the then prevailing view of language acquisition as being innate. Her work spanned many topics, including children's systematic use of imitation, negation, and variation in language; how children develop Wh-questions; and how children add complexity to their sentences. Professor Bloom also worked with colleagues and students in speech pathology, given her earlier work as a speech pathologist. Her many books and research publications are used widely by clinicians and researchers. Her most recent work, meticulously developed, brought together how children's thinking, social interaction, play, and emotion intersect and covary in the expression of language. Colleagues and students regarded her as one of the "founding mothers" in the field of language acquisition.
Professor Bloom joined the faculty of Teachers College, Columbia University, in 1969. Over her many years there, she trained numerous students. She also served as an esteemed colleague and leader, generously contributing to the success of other researchers across the U.S. and the world. Because of her distinguished contributions, she was recognized with awards from many professional organizations, including the American Psychological Association, the Society for Research in Child Development, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and the International Congress for Infant Studies.
Lois Joy Bloom was born April 25, 1934, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and died January 14, 2025, in Williamsburg, Virginia. Predeceased by her husband of 65 years, Robert H. Bloom, and her daughter Allison Joy Bloom, she is survived by her sister-in-law Lynn Bloom, nephew Laird Bloom (Sara), in addition to many other nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews.
Lois and Bob had many friends with whom they traveled the world, and they enjoyed clambakes and a life of cooking. She gave dinner parties like no other, competed in horse shows, and cultivated the perfect garden that was a show piece featured on garden tours. Lois also was a docent for the Bronx Botanical Garden, and she shared her wealth of horticultural knowledge any chance she was given. Lois also was a member of the Easton Historical Society in Connecticut for which she raised funds to restore the Bradley Hubbel House, an original built in the 1700s.
Lois had such drive and passion for everything she touched, and she succeeded in all she did. At the same time, she would say that her approach to most things in life consisted of common sense.
Lois loved her family so much and she so appreciated the life she had with them. She called her daughter Allison "A GIFT." She said she was the luckiest person in the world to have a Knight in Shining Armor for a husband.
Lois touched many people throughout the world, and she always worked to make her family and town a better place as well. She will be sorely missed by all those whose lives she was part.
Lois' life will be celebrated at Lesko Funeral Home, 1209 Post Road, Fairfield, CT. 06824 on February 8, 2025, starting with a reception for family and friends at 10am, and then a service beginning at 11am. Following the service, graveside burial will take place at Aspetuck Cemetery in Easton, CT.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to your favorite charity or to a group that was close to Lois' heart – the Cambridge Consulting Group – where she and Bob set up a fund in Allison's memory. Allison developed a career in the emergency medical services (EMS), which included working as an EMT and pursuing a law degree to provide leadership in the EMS world. Allison co-founded the Cambridge Consulting Group which, among other things, provides "mentorship and strategic planning for leaders in EMS." Their site is www.cambridgecg.net
For travel directions or to leave Lois an online condolence, please visit www.LeskoFuneralHome.com


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