Pamela Blair

1944 - 2019

Blair, Pamela
Pamela Tyler Blair of New Haven died Monday, May 6, 2019 at Yale-New Haven Hospital surrounded by her family. She was the treasured wife of John H. Blair for 52 years. Pam was born July 18, 1944 in Kansas City, MO, daughter of the late Simeon Tyler Jr. and Jane (Dunbar) Tyler Schottenheimer. She graduated from University of Pittsburgh in 1967, where she met John and was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. After some time spent raising her children in Clinton, CT, she returned to college to become a math teacher and obtained a teaching certification from Southern Connecticut State University. She taught mathematics at Haddam-Killingworth High School until 1990 when she retired. She loved teaching and working with young people. She was active in the American Field Service student exchange program, hosting students from Brazil and Japan for a full school year and many other students from around the world for shorter visits. Throughout her life she was committed to community service and served as president of the Clinton Junior Women's Club. In retirement she pursued her love of teaching and community service by volunteering as a tutor at New Haven Reads (a literacy non-profit in the city). Pam greatly enjoyed teaching reading and math to kids of all grade levels and backgrounds and also tutored privately. She formed lasting bonds with her students and continued to stay in contact with them as time passed on. Most notable, however, was her role as the center of her family. In that role she will be missed terribly by all. Besides her husband she is survived by her sons, Erik of Clinton and his fiancée Julie Schmidt, and Nathaniel and his wife Barbra of West Roxbury and her grandchildren, Emma, Jonathan, Colin and Bridget. She was predeceased by her brother Erik Schottenheimer.
In keeping with Pam's wishes, there will be no funeral services. A celebration of Pam's life will be held at the convenience of the family. The family requests that in lieu of gifts or flowers a donation can be made to New Haven Reads on her behalf (https://newhavenreads.networkforgood.com/ or by mail to 'New Haven Reads, 45 Bristol Street, New Haven, CT 06511'). For online memorial, see www.wsclancy.com.