Blossom Adele Woods

Blossom Adele Woods was born February 19, 1927, in Orange, California, to Fred Earl and Lora Ellen (Robinson) Bates. The family moved to Salem, Oregon in 1930. She married Gordon David Woods on May 16, 1946, in Salem, Oregon.  Gordon and Blossom were members of the First Baptist Church of Salem since 1964. Gordon passed away June 4, 2001.  In 2003 she married Edward Fischer, he passed away June 4, 2013. Blossom earned a master’s degree from Willamette University and graduated June 2, 1956.  She taught 25 years at Walker Junior High (later Middle School). True to her name, Blossom loved working in the garden and grew 800 roses. She also raised goats on the family farm. With her son Ed and her niece Kathi Bagby by her side, Blossom passed away peacefully at her home in Salem, on August 14, 2019.  Blossom was preceded in death by her husband, Gordon in 2001 and brothers Gordon Bates, Herbert Bates, David Bates, and Philip Bates; sister Dawn Shreeve; grandson Isaac Gordon. She is survived by her sons Roger, Douglas, Stanley, Kenneth, Edward, David, Thomas, Samuel, and James Woods and Nestor Pavon; daughters Cindy Slye, Laurie Woods, Bonnie Kasower, Teri Daum, Kristie Patten, Becky Martinez, Jenny Amundsonand Theresa Shay Woods; sisters Idyll Berger, and Sharon Backman; grandchildren Nicholas, Noble, Jonathan, Joshua, Bernie, Jason, Benjamin, Blake, Anthony, Antonio, Javan, Adam, Scotty, Stephen, Luis II, Jace, James David, Kaleb, Jardine, Jean, Brigitte, Mischelle, Melissa, Cortney, Echo, Tessa, Ashley, Krytyna, Whitney dawn, Tressie, Nicole, Tasha, Breanne, Vanessa, Alicia, Ignacio, Darby, Tara, and Cal; Hispanic grandchildren Elizabeth Quintana, Nery Quintana, Juanito Martinez, Salvador, Martinez, Marcus Martinez, Israel Martinez, Jonathan Bolton, Nathan Bolton, Andy Huerta, Vianey Huerta, Lucio Huerta II, Luis Castillo, Marina Castillo, Marcelino Castillo, Clara Castillo, Veronica Castillo; and great-grandchildren Jeremy, Cammy, Dominic, Maple, Hazel, Samuel, Chloe, Clara, Declan, Ian, Kaitlyn, and Evie. Private internment will be at Willamette Nation Cemetery in Portland. Memorial service will be Monday, August 26, 2019, 3:00pm, at the Community Life Center of Salem First Baptist Church, 395 Marion St NE.  Contributions in Blossom’s name to Didisko Orphanage in Honduras, care of Salem First Baptist.