Autumn Leigh Bloomstrom

Autumn Leigh Bloomstrom, born on May 16, 1956, in Muskegon to Richard and Katherine (Hall) Long, was a spirit impossible to confine-an extraordinary woman whose courage, warmth, and unique outlook marked every life she touched. On July 30, 2026, at her home in Muskegon, Autumn's long journey with recurrent melanoma, COPD, scoliosis, and other health battles came to a close, but her enduring legacy of strength and joy remains vivid for those who knew and loved her.

From her earliest days, Autumn's life was never ordinary. She grew up in a lively Muskegon household, attending Reeths Puffer High School until age sixteen, a period filled with the laughter and mischief that would later define her relationships as a mother, sister, and friend. Though she did not pursue college, Autumn carried an attitude of self-taught wisdom into adulthood, reveling most in her role at home and her years working for Meijer in general merchandise-always someone who found meaning and pride in whatever she turned her hands to.

In June 1972, at just sixteen, she embarked on her greatest adventure-marrying Mark, a love that brought its share of joys, challenges, and unforgettable memories. She welcomed her first child at seventeen, embracing motherhood with undeniable vigor and a fiercely protective heart. Family was Autumn's anchor, her reason, her tribe. She cultivated those bonds with a rare tenderness, creating a home that radiated not only warmth but also a sense of unshakeable belonging.

Autumn's passions ran wild and true. Few things delighted her as much as the freedom of the open road during motorcycle rides, the exhilarating sense of movement echoing her restless, independent soul. She found peace in the earth as she cared for her garden in younger years, conjuring flowers and vegetables from the soil. But it was her remarkable connection to the wildlife around her-especially the raccoons-that made her a legend among those who knew her best. Raccoons became friends, not intruders; they visited her yard for food, water, and even toys she provided. There was Bud, the singular raccoon who allowed Autumn to pet him where all others kept their distance-a quiet testament to her gentle power and capacity for kindness. The mother raccoons trusted her enough to bring their babies, a symbol of the safe haven she seemed to create wherever she went.

To say Autumn faced hardship would be an understatement. She survived two aneurysms, a stroke, and the slow, undeniable advance of debilitating illness. Through it all, her courage shone. She told her family: "Don't believe in tears-celebrate, don't mourn." Her legacy urges those left behind to choose stories over sorrow, laughter over lament.

Today, Autumn is dearly missed by her loving children April Misner (and son-in-law David), Andrew Bloomstrom, her cherished grandchild Shawn Misner, her devoted siblings Rosemary Russell and Harold Long, several nieces, nephews and her steadfast friend Alice Barrett. She is preceded in death by her beloved parents Katherine and Richard Long, her dear child Mark Bloomstrom, and her siblings Darrell Long, Vivian Brannam, and Holly Delano.

Though Autumn Leigh Bloomstrom's time here has ended, those who loved her know that her energy and irrepressible spirit remain. In gardens that still bloom, in raccoons who linger in backyards, in every story shared on sunlit afternoons, she lives on. Her family will invite all who shared in her journey to a Celebration of Life at her mother's house in Muskegon, MI at a later date-a fitting gathering to remember with laughter, music, and memory, just as Autumn would have wished.