Murray Sheldon Blum

1929 - 2015

Murray Sheldon Blum, of Athens, 85, beloved husband, father and grandfather, pioneering entomologist, exuberant lover of life, family, friends, good jokes and bad puns, operatic arias and the natural world, died peacefully at home on Sunday, March 22.

Born in Philadelphia on July 19, 1929, he grew up in Chicago. He earned a PhD in entomology from the University of Illinois in 1955. After a stint in the U.S. Army, he joined Louisiana State University in 1957 where he began his innovative studies of chemical communication by insects. Ten years later, he came to the University of Georgia. In 1973, the Entomological Society of America recognized him as outstanding scientist of the year; in 1978, he was appointed to a UGA research professorship. Among other honors were a National Science Foundation fellowship for research in England and a Fulbright fellowship to teach at the University of Paris. In 1989, he received the International Society of Chemical Ecology Medal for outstanding scientific contributions. He was author of several books, more than 300 papers, and lectured around the world. He retired from UGA in 1995.

He was almost as well known for his love of life and family. Neighbors recalled him shouting "Hello, World!" as he stepped outside. He once took out a billboard on Lexington Road to say how much he loved his wife, Ann, to whom he was married for almost 62 years.

He is survived by his wife and four daughters: Deborah Blum and husband, Peter Haugen of Madison, WI; Darcy Szeremi and husband, Michael, of Durham, N.C.; Dawn Lewis and husband Fred of Austin, Texas; Dana Kuehn of Jacksonville, Florida and her partner, Steve Kenney; and his grandchildren, Marcus and Lucas Haugen; Hannah, Alex, and Amanda Lewis; Andrew and Tristan Szeremi; a sister, Helen Meyers, of Glenview, IL and a brother, Paul Blum, of Gardnerville, NV.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m., Saturday, April 4th at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens, with reception to follow.

The family would like to give special thanks to Gentiva Hospice and to Nancy Shottick for their exceptional care. Donations can be made in his memory to either Friends of the Georgia Museum of Natural History, 103 Cedar Street, Athens, GA 30602 or the State Botanical Garden at 2450 S Milledge Ave, Athens, GA 30606.

Online condolences may be offered at www.bernsteinfuneralhome.com

Bernstein Funeral Home and Cremation Service is in charge of arrangements.

7/19/1929 - 3/22/2015