Shirley Blum

1930 - 2016

Shirley Marbach Blum of Boulder, died on Tuesday, Feb. 2nd 2016 at home after an extended illness, at the age of 85. She was born on March 11, 1930, on the Lower East side of New York City to Samuel and Lena Marbach. She graduated from Taft High School in 1948 and was the managing editor of the high school yearbook. Shirley married Stanley Blum in 1954 in New York City. After she went on a blind date with him she never went out with anyone else! Shirley worked as a bookkeeper and office manager, while raising her three daughters in Queens, New York. She taught them the importance of connections with people and love for family and friends. She moved with Stanley to Boulder, CO after they retired in 1989. She was a devoted caregiver to her beloved husband until his death in 1999. Shirley loved art and enjoyed sculpting, knitting and painting and played and taught mah jong. She loved children and spent time nannying during her early retirement. She volunteered at Boulder Community Hospital. She enjoyed her friends through swim class, maj jong group, Congregation Har HaShem and those she met where she lived at Flatirons Terrace. People were drawn to her by her warmth, her humor and that it just felt good to be around her. Shirley is survived by her daughters, Shelley Karpel of Boulder, Judi Hamilton of Keene N.H. and Sharon Diamond of Arvada; their spouses, Gilbert Karpel, Pam Marsh, and Eric Diamond; and her 5 grandsons, Joshua Karpel, Lee Karpel, Jason Hamilton, Jeremy Diamond and Spencer Diamond. Donations may be made to Congregation Har HaShem, TRU Community Care Hospice, or Golden West Foundation.