LAWRENCE BLAU

BLAU--Lawrence McDara.

Larry Blau of New York City and Boca Grande, Florida died peacefully on May 16, 2016. His wife Elizabeth Blau and his two sons Andrew and Christopher were by his side. A faithful and loving husband, father, grandfather and friend, he was happiest when his family, dogs, and friends were nearby. Born in Huntington Park, California on June 30, 1941, Larry spent his early years growing up in Columbia, South America. He was a graduate of Admiral Farragut Academy (1959) in St. Petersburg, Florida and Emory University (1963) in Atlanta, Georgia. A member of the Sigma Chi fraternity at Emory, he was a record holding Captain of the swim team. Having moved to New York in 1963 he worked first at Goodbody and Company, then for many years at Oppenheimer and Company. In 1988, he launched BEM Management, a hedge fund, with his business partner, which they managed together successfully until 2001. He then retired to Boca Grande. Larry was an avid and competitive golfer. He was a member of the University Club in New York City, Westchester Country Club in Rye, New York, and the Gasparilla Golf Club in Boca Grande, Florida. He was a member of the board of The York Theater Company, and volunteered on his coop board in New York City for several years, also serving as president. In his retirement in Florida he was an active volunteer and philanthropist in his community, serving on the board of the Gasparilla Island Conservancy and Improvement Association. He was a member of the Investment Committee for the Island School Foundation. Larry served on the board of the Boca Grande Health Clinic Foundation from it's inception in 2003. Passionate about the mission to ensure the financial viability of the Clinic, he served as a Trustee, Executive Committee member and Investment Committee member. He is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Elizabeth Blau of Boca Grande, his son Andrew Blau of San Francisco, grand-daughters Emily and Anne, son Christopher Blau of Santa Barbara, daughter-in-law Wendy, grand-daughters Pippa, Lulu, and Ingrid, and his faithful dog Edwina. A memorial celebration will be held in his honor in the fall. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Boca Grande Health Clinic Foundation, Inc., PO Box 2340, Boca Grande, FL 33921.