Doris Blum

Doris Blum

Born November 9, 1911 in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Died 101 years later, on May 21, 2013 in San Francisco. She was preceded in death (1980) by her husband Ben. She is survived by sons Joe (Nancy) of Tiburon, Mark (Donna) of Sacramento, grandchildren Ari (Mead) of Larkspur, Andrew (Samantha Pohler) of Bend, Oregon, Morgan of San Francisco and great- grandsons Henry and Caleb of Larkspur. Although born in Canada, where her parents lived for a short time, her family returned to San Francisco when she was just 1 year old and she spent the rest of her long and fulfilling life in the city she so dearly loved. She graduated Lowell High School in 1928 and went on to attend the University of California, Berkeley, before following her father's footsteps and entering the retail fur business. She married Ben in 1945 and together they made a life and family in the Sea Cliff neighborhood and the wholesale sundries business in San Francisco. She and Ben started a long-lived tradition, which continues to this day, through 4 generations of Blums, of yearly family trips to Lake Tahoe in August (as recently as 2012) and to Hawaii in December. Until his early and untimely death, they traveled together around the world, a passion she continued with family and friends up until the past few years when her health began to decline. Doris was both dedicated and generous to San Francisco institutions. She was a long- time volunteer at Mt. Zion Hospital and served a term as President of the Women's Auxiliary at the hospital in the 1960's. She was very geneous to various philanthropies including the Jewish Federation of San Francisco and Theta Delta Xi Sorority. Doris absolutely loved entertaining, first in her Sea Ciff home and, after Ben's death, in her fashionable Nob Hill apartment. An invitation to Passover seder, Yom Kippur break the fast, or other events was highly prized by her friends. No matter how many people were invited, she always found extra room if one of her children or grandchildren asked to bring someone new to dinner. The family wishes to thank Dr. James Davis for his highly personalized, far above the normal, care provided for many years. Thanks also to Dr. Lawrence Cohn (a lifelong family friend) of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston who performed open heart surgery on a woman of 95 years (when other doctors recommended doing nothing) and bought her an additional 6 meaningful years with her family. Also greatly appreciated is Dana Wiltsek (our cousin), Case Manager with Heartwood Health and the team of dedicated caregivers who made it possible for her to live out her life in her own apartment. Doris' death marks the final chapter in the life of a true matriarch. While never to be replaced, she will be remembered fondly by family and her wide circle of friends of all ages. Memorial services will be held at Congregation Emanu-El, 2 Lake St., San Francisco on Friday, May 24 at 12:00 noon. (Parking available at 3838 California St. Garage.) Memorial contributions to the Doris Blum Fund for Holocaust Education, Jewish Family and Children's Services, 2150 Post St., San Francisco, CA. 94115 or to Theta Delta Xi Sorority, 595 Market St., Suite 1450, San Francisco, CA. 94105 would perpetuate her legacy and be gratefully appreciated.