Columbo style that might seem to border on the bumbling but is actually quite effective., Vice President Kamala Harris, who launched her political career in San Francisco and served in the Senate with Feinstein, said she had long admired Blums compassion and boundless energy., Dick Blum believed we could build a world that respected the rights and essential dignity of all people, Harris said Monday. She speaks English and Spanish. Dianne Feinsteins husband Richard Blum dies, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Map: Track this weekends rain in the Bay Area, Dianne Feinsteins husband Richard Blum dies after long battle with cancer, Sen. Dianne Feinstein hospitalized with shingles, Barabak: Its the brand that matters in California Senate race, East Bay Rep. Barbara Lee kicks off U.S. Senate campaign in Oakland, Schiff, Porter take early lead in race for Dianne Feinsteins Senate seat, Opinion: California needs a progressive senator to succeed Feinstein. Tributes for Blum poured in from some of the most powerful politicians in the country Monday. Dick was born . Hayley Smith covers breaking news in California with a focus on wildfires, drought and climate change. What could reparations mean for Black residents of Alameda County? Blum, 86, husband of U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, died Sunday evening after a long battle with cancer. Richard C. Blum is Dead, but Not (yet) Forgotten. Blum was a longtime donor to Democratic candidates and liberal causes. He proposed attempting Everests summit in 1983, but Blums new wife said: You are not going. And he didnt, as the prospect of losing Blum down a frozen crevasse might have broken Feinstein at that time. Our colleagues very loving husband was, simply put, a fascinating person. I am going to miss him terribly, Feinstein (D-Calif.) said in a statement. By Josh Sosland. Among its many projects, the foundation diverted some 6,000 girls in West Nepal from possible sex slavery to school, Blum told an oral history interviewer in 2009. A 1990 profile of Blum published in the lead-up to Feinsteins unsuccessful gubernatorial run painted him as a well-connected man of many passions and interests. In the middle of it all she met Blum, chairman of the mayors Fiscal Advisory Committee, which the investment banker had created. We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time. Richard H. Blum "Sonny" age 86, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 13, 2023, at his home. [29] He was awarded the UCSF medal in 2012. He was raised and educated in Herkimer and enlisted in the US Air Force. Blos was a wonderful, high energy enthusiast person. Blum was 23 and fresh out of UC Berkeley with two business degrees in 1959 when he joined Sutro & Co., an investment brokerage firm that would make him a partner before he turned 30. He chatted at Everest base camp with his friend Sir Edmund Hillary before attempting a mountain route not even the Everest pioneer had tried. Richard Blum Obituary. He and Feinstein have similarly waved away concerns about their complicated finances. Just five years had passed since the period Feinstein had called the most traumatic of my life. She was president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1978 when she lost her husband of 16 years, neurosurgeon Bertram Feinstein, to cancer. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. A 2020 state audit of UCs admissions process accused him of writing an inappropriate letter of support to help a student get into UC Berkeley. Contact Us | An adventurous outdoors man up for any challenge. When the centers new building broke ground in 2009, a glittering array of political celebrities among them former presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton; former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz, who became a center trustee; and former Vice President Al Gore heaped praise on the project, and on Blum. He described Blum as a schmoozer who was also eager to give to the right causes. When he and the group touched its slopes, he said, We were all in tears because, as far as we know, no human being had ever done that before.. In a statement announcing the passing of her husband, Feinstein called Blum a devoted family man of enormous generosity who strove to make the world a better place. SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Senator Dianne Feinstein's husband, financier Richard Blum, died at home Sunday night after a long battle with cancer, Feinstein's office says. Vice President Kamala Harris said the philanthropist believed we could build a world that respected the rights and essential dignity of all people, and dedicated his life to that aim. Mr. Blum, who also was the father of Jane Blum DeMarchi, president of the North American Millers' Association, was 90. There will be a visitation time one hour prior to the service. He was born on September 20, 1936, a son of the late Herman A. and Catherine (Gibson) Blum. He never tires of telling people that, when they married, he decided to keep his maiden name, Yudof quipped. Blums death comes as Feinstein, the Senates oldest member, struggles with low approval ratings and calls for her resignation from some progressive members of the Democratic Party. Boredom has never worked for me, Blum told an interviewer for the oral history, explaining why he chose investments over the shirt trade or fruit-packing, both early options. [4] At Sutro, Blum led a partnership that acquired Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus for $8 million, selling it to Mattel four years later for $40 million. He was a regent of the University of California from 2002 until his death. The talk was sponsored by his American Himalayan Foundation and the Blum Center for Developing Economies at Berkeley. He was 86. He is also the former chairman of the University of California Board of Regents and a former chairman of the advisory board for the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. An avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed his motorcycle, hunting, Civil War re-enactments, and the annual Thanksgiving Interfaith Service at the Fort Herkimer Church. UC officials are reviewing the case, which was discovered during an audit of the UC systems admissions process. In an interview with this news organization, Blum dismissed the episode as much ado about nothing.. Behind-the-scenes power broker Richard Blum compares his new job as chair of the UC Board of Regents to a corporate restructuring. We are so deeply sorry for your loss. "Dick" Blum of LaGrange, age 74, passed away at home on February 16, 2012. Sign the Guest Book. He was the type of man who really replaced his divot in life, who left things better than he found them. Richard J. Blum (1931-2022), a lifelong resident of Cleveland, died of complications of Parkinson's on Jan. 22, 2022.Arrangements under the direction of Berkowitz-Kumin-Bookatz Memorial Chapel. This is an obituary written for Richard Blum. He was 86 years old. Building a successful career in business, he constantly gave back to our city: whether as a patron of our arts, a donor to our food banks or a benefactor to our efforts to end homelessness.. His friendship with the Dalai Lama helped shape us, and his creation of the American Himalayan Foundation was one of his proudest achievements.. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. On Monday, condolences poured in from both the states and nations capitals and beyond. Send Flowers | The senator issued a . Behaviour Interactive. [29], Blum was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2016. Nevertheless, he and Feinstein acted as intermediaries through the years between the Chinese leadership and the Dalai Lama. Published by New York Times on Jan. 30, 2022. Called by the nickname "Blos" by many of his friends, he was an outdoorsman who was an early runner, skier, mountain climber, hiker and distance bike rider. Family and friends can send flowers and condolences in memory of the loved one. Mondales co-national chairman later said that Mondale didnt pick Feinstein because of Blums business dealings. He was predeceased by : his parents, Herman A. Blum and Catherine Blum (Gibson); his friend Violet Franklin; his sister-in-law Carol; and his nephew Jamie Blum. "We are saddened to learn that longtime UC Regent Dick Blum passed away late Sunday, and . Share Your Memories and Sympathies and Join the Bereaved! He was 86 years old. [27][28], He donated to the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF), Merced and Los Angeles (UCLA) and Sonoma State University, as well as Macalester College. We will remember him forever. Funeral arrangements are with Fenner Funeral Home Inc, Herkimer. Thank you for your very brave service to our country ! Monday, 28 February 2022 11:14 AM EST. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Feinstein announced her husband's death in a statement Monday morning that said her heart is broken today.. San Francisco financier Richard Charles Blum, whose extraordinary life took him from the halls of power in Washington as the husband of U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein to the mountains of Nepal and Tibet as a philanthropist, died Sunday night at his home. Will Bay Bridge go dark forever? His tenure as a regent was not without controversy, however. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Blum a powerful force for good in San Francisco, the city she represents, whether as a patron of our arts, a donor to our food banks or a benefactor to our efforts to end homelessness., Gov. He was 20 years older than George but stronger than George when they climbed the Himalayas. Distribution and use of this material are governed by She previously covered D.C. politics and California lawsuits for McClatchy's publications, including the Sacramento Bee, as a national real-time reporter. "My heart is broken today," the Democratic senator, 88, said in a statement Monday, calling her husband her "partner and best friend for more than 40 years." Even as he tackled the Himalayan regions social justice challenges, Blum took joy in the physical challenges presented by the worlds tallest peaks and did so in a manner befitting the spectacular extremes of that place. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Blum was revealed to have written to the universitys chancellor. . My husband was my partner and best friend for more than 40 years. The first Burger King television commercial was broadcast on Miami's VHF station. He always gave Dianne good counsel.. Dick Blum shares my belief that we all need to make a lifelong commitment to poverty alleviation, Clinton said at the time. Blum Centers have since opened at all nine of UC undergraduate campuses, focusing not only on global poverty but also on low-income regions of California and Mexico. He enjoyed Dianne for both her beauty and her power. Blum, 83, was breaking for lunch just a few hours after landing in Israel on his private plane, gearing up for a jam-packed week of meetings and site visits. My husband was my partner and best friend for more than 40 years, Feinstein, 88, said in a statement. Richard L. Blum Jr., the retired chairman of Julius Wile Sons & Company, national importers of wines and spirits, died on Saturday at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Send simple, comforting meals with Home Chef. As a role model, Dick was second to none, and I think his compassion and devotion to the people of the Himalayan region may prove to be his most enduring legacy, she said. The Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989 was barely a year old when Blum picked a fight with the general secretary of the Communist Party of China, Jiang Zemin, who had invited him and Feinstein, San Franciscos former mayor, to discuss Tibet over dinner. Originally from Miami, she holds a masters degree in journalism from USC. Her stories led to changes in charter school laws, prompted a ban on Scientology in California public schools, and exposed cheating and censorship in testing.A past president of the Society of Professional Journalists' Northern California chapter, Nanette has a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University and a B.A. [32] He was hospitalized in September 2021 for an undisclosed reason. The relationship continued until July 1976. No. The lifelong San . Sen. Feinstein's husband, University of California Regent Richard Blum, was named Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, by the state auditor's office as one of the regents involved in admissions scandal where UC wrongly admitted dozens of wealthy, mostly white students as favors to well-connected people. They married in 1980. CLEVELAND Richard J. Not yet having made his fortune, he began giving families small amounts of money through what he called the Sherpa Scholarship Fund. For some people, the best send-off is one that they would have loved to attendthemselves: a big party. Blum was the chairman of Blum Capital Partners, an equity investment management firm. But privileged to have known Blos and the joy of playing with him outdoors. The only problem was his enthusiasm was so intense it was sometimes hard to get him off the phone. Mr. Blum became Ms. Feinsteins companion between the death of her second husband, Bertram Feinstein, in 1978, and her victory in a race for mayor of San Francisco in 1979 after two unsuccessful attempts. Grief researchers say holding that missing funeral service, even a year or more later, can still help us heal. We are especially thankful for the piece he wrote and shared with us two years ago about the time George and Bloss were avalanched (George had to be helicoptered to Kathmandu). Locations | My husband was my partner and best friend for more than 40 years," Feinstein said in the statement. She's written about sexual misconduct at UC and Stanford, the precarious state of accreditation at City College of San Francisco, and what happens when the UC Berkeley student government discovers a gay rights opponent in its midst. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. [30] He served on many other boards, including the Seva Foundation and as chairman of the Himalayan Foundation. The Man Behind the Woman Who Would Be Governor : Politics: Dianne Feinsteins husband, Richard Blum, is a shrewd businessman, a friend of the famous, with a Lt. Why Pistons are praising Warriors' Map shows which parts of California exceeded entire years worth of rain, Yes, that's a toucan flying around Walnut Creek, Last chance to see: Bay Bridge lights turn off on Sunday, Map shows stunning improvement in California drought, A $200M bike bridge tantalized this Bay Area city. SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF/BCN) - Richard Blum, the husband of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California) and a longtime member of the University of California Board of Regents, died Sunday evening after. Blums father built a home in the citys Ingleside Terraces neighborhood and, with younger brother Robert, the family moved in. Born into a family of clothing merchants, Blum graduated from Lowell High School, where he was known among his peers as confident and strong-willed. Our dearest great grandpa, bother-in-law, uncle, great-uncle and friend to many. Please omit flowers. Former President Donald Trump is congratulating his former adviser Kellyanne Conway after reports that she and her husba. Everest, befriended the Dalai Lama and married then-San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein, he bought and sold the circus literally. Earlier in her career she wrote about education for The Atlantic in Washington, D.C. She graduated from UC San Diego with a BA degree in political science with a minor in communication. Columbo style and a passion for distance running and Tibetan treks. This memorial website was created in memory of Alma Blum, 92, born on May 25, 1905 and passed away on December 18, 1997. Feinstein announced that Blum had died, after a long battle with cancer, in a statement Monday morning that said . The husband of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Richard Blum, died Sunday "after a long battle with cancer," she said in a statement. [1] He was the chairman and president of Blum Capital, an equity investment management firm. Months later, former Supervisor Dan White assassinated Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, propelling Feinstein to the citys top spot. Thanks for contacting us. Beloved husband of Carolyn; loving father of Rick (Beth) Blum; Jennifer (Mark) Stacy and Karen (William) Spencer; devoted grandfather of Katharine, Eric, Abby, Libby, Sarah, and Charlie; dear brother of Philip (Carla) Blum. The deal solidified Blums reputation as an investor and businessman and signaled the kind of extraordinary experience that would shape his life as a philanthropist, UC regent and husband to Feinstein, now a U.S. senator. Building a successful career in business, he constantly gave back to our city: whether as a patron of our arts, a donor to our food banks or a benefactor to our efforts to end homelessness., Sen. Alex Padilla said that Blum was a compassionate humanitarian who dedicated his life to improving the world for others., Above all, Dick was devoted to his family, Padilla continued. [22], Blum had a strong interest in Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism, and in 1981 he attempted to climb Mount Everest from the Tibetan side with Sir Edmund Hillary. Blum was chairman and president of Blum Capital Partners in San Francisco, an investment company he founded in 1975. In 1981, he transformed the effort into the American Himalayan Foundation, which Yudof summed up as a brilliantly conceived effort to provide on-the-ground assistance to impoverished peoples in the region, to build real and metaphorical bridges, to rescue young women from childhood slavery and prostitution to do concrete things for real people on the ground.. Blum has three daughters from a first marriage: Annette Blum of Santa Monica, Heidi Blum of Switzerland, and Eileen Blum Bourgade of San Francisco. A longtime friend of the Dalai Lama, Blum was an honorary consul of Nepal. For nearly two decades, Blum served as a member of the University of California Board of Regents and was chairman emeritus of the board, and he founded the Blum Center for Developing Economies at UC Berkeley, which is focused on addressing global poverty. Blum was first appointed to the UC Board of Regents by former California. I hope the service on Friday, and the love from family and friends who attended brought you comfort at this time of grief. The same year his book came out, Blum learned he had lung cancer. | Funeral Home Website by Batesville Home | A private interment will follow. Richard Blum, husband of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a longtime University of California regent and a stalwart of Democratic politics in California, died Sunday of cancer at his home in San Francisco. Photo by Mark Costantini / San Francisco Chronicle. In 1971 the family moved to Columbia, MD and Richard attended Sandy Spring Friends School and Wilde Lake High School. They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel. in sociology from Queens College. She also holds a MA degree in journalism from Stanford University. Anyone can read what you share. University of California Regent Richard Blum, a wealthy donor to UC Berkeley, wrote an inappropriate letter of support to help a student get into the university, according to the California State Auditors office. Family and friends must say goodbye to their beloved Richard H. Blum of East Herkimer, New York, who passed away at the age of 86, on January 13, 2023. Share Obituary. Richard Dale Blum was born on December 12, 1927 in Terril, Iowa and passed away on February 6, 2022 in Gainesville, Florida. Over his four decades of marriage to Senator Feinstein, he took tremendous joy in supporting her pioneering leadership as a public servant. Richard Blum lived an extraordinary life, and he left this world better than he found it lifting up our communities and helping connect people from across the globe, Newsom said. My heart is broken today. Four years later, Blum and his partners sold the circus to Mattel Inc. for $40 million. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Richard Blum of Harrison, Ohio, born in Cincinnati, Ohio, who passed away on June 22, 2021, at the age of 59, leaving to mourn family and friends. Richard Blum, the husband of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), died on Sunday at age 86 after living with cancer for years.