Richard Blum, the longtime husband of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, died Sunday evening following a battle with cancer, the senator announced Monday. Eileen was born in Bridgeton NJ and grew up in Daretown, the daughter of Quinton Reeves & Mildred Schaeffer Hackett. As a businessman, a Regent of the University of California, a philanthropist, and an advocate for human rights, Dick dedicated his life to furthering that vision. Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. He subsequently became a consultant in the same industry and oversaw several large projects in the United States and United Kingdom before retiring a second time at the age of 87. Nanette Asimov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. His mother, Louise Hirsch, was born in El Paso, Texas and grew up in San Francisco. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. [30] He served on many other boards, including the Seva Foundation and as chairman of the Himalayan Foundation. Dick is survived by his beloved wife Kendall (Kendy) Jackson Blum and a cousin, Sidney Birnbaum. 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. On Monday, condolences poured in from both the states and nations capitals and beyond. Richard Charles Blum was born on July 31, 1935, in San Francisco to Louise Hirsch and Herbert Blum, a seller of robes and raincoats who died during Richards boyhood. It ended badly, California snowpack hits highest level this century for March, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). It was only during his final months that he sought government office, informing President Biden early last year that he hoped to be made an ambassador. ~Deepa. He also befriended Sir Edmund Hillary, one of the first climbers to have reached Mount Everest, and attempted his own trek in 1981. Blums parents had met in 1933. Feinstein has represented California in the U.S. Senate since 1992. Blum was remembered most on Monday for his generosity of spirit and deep devotion to family, including his three daughters from his first marriage Annette, Heidi and Eileen his stepdaughter, Katherine, and many grandchildren. [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. He was 86. 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. [4] He received his Bachelor of Science in business administration in 1958 and a Master of Business Administration in 1959 from the Haas School of Business of the University of California, Berkeley. I am going to miss him terribly.. [18], On April 25, 2009, at talk featuring the 14th Dalai Lama, Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgenau presented Blum with the Berkeley Medal, the university's top honor. Gavin Newsom praised Blum as a model Californian. For many years Richard worked for the Herkimer County Highway Department and later for Views Paving. Richard graduated from Berkeley with bachelors and masters degrees in business administration. Richard Blum Funeral, Obituary, Burial, Memorial Service. How close we are to bringing lights back. EAST HERKIMER - Richard H. Blum "Sonny" age 86, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 13, 2023, at his home. He was 86 years old. 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). There will be a visitation time one hour prior to the service. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. "My heart is broken. He was a self-made millionaire, investor, money manager, mountain climber, distance runner, philanthropist, human-rights activist and friend of the famous, the profile said. Four years later, Blum and his partners sold the circus to Mattel Inc. for $40 million. He was chairman of equity investment management firm Blum Capital Partners. Locations | 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. About 2 in the afternoon, Id doze off for a while, Blum recalled. Richard Charles Blum (July 31, 1935 - February 27, 2022) was an American investor and the husband of United States Senator Dianne Feinstein. Mr. Blum, who also was the father of Jane Blum DeMarchi, president of the North American Millers' Association, was 90. On Monday, President Biden described Blum as a successful businessman and proud son of California who dedicated much of his public life to fighting poverty around the globe.. | Funeral Home Website by Batesville Home | The Blum boys were sent for two years to a military academy in San Rafael where they met another future financier, Warren Hellman. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) said she and her husband, Paul, were heartbroken., A lifelong San Franciscan, Richard was a powerful force for good in our city, Pelosi said in a statement. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke about Blums contributions to San Francisco, the city the Democrat represents. By Alex Traub Feb. 28, 2022 Richard C. Blum, a financier and major donor to Democrats above all his wife, Senator Dianne Feinstein of California died on Sunday at the family home in San. He was 86. Blums vast business ties and stock holdings would occasionally dog Feinstein. He remained her closest confidant and most reliable fund-raiser through her mayoralty, which ended in 1988. Blum died Sunday. He was the type of man who really replaced his divot in life, who left things better than he found them. His tenure as a regent was not without controversy, however. BLUM--Richard J., (1931-2022), a lifelong resident of Cleveland, died of complications of Parkinson's on January 22, 2022. The loss of loved ones can be felt by everyone who knew her and was fortunate enough to be acquaintances with her. [5], In the 1970s, Blum supported then Mayor of San Francisco George Moscone. Blums revelation triggered a UC investigation in Sept. 2020 aimed at determining whether he had violated a long-standing regents policy prohibiting such influence and, if so, what to do about it. In a statement, Gov. 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. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his long time loyal friend, Violet Franklin, on July 25, 2018, a sister-in-law, Carol and nephew, Jamie Blum. We have a hole in our hearts that will never be filled. I am going to miss him terribly., Blums storied career took many forms. His dealings in San Francisco and overseas proved nettlesome during her unsuccessful 1990 run for governor and her 2000 senate reelection campaign. The same year his book came out, Blum learned he had lung cancer. Richard Blum, the longtime husband of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, died Sunday evening following a battle with cancer, the senator announced Monday. He was extremely supportive of her over the years.. If you know of an upcoming event for Richard H. Blum, please add one. Blum served as a UC regent for nearly two decades and was chairman emeritus of the board. He has advised Presidents Obama, Clinton and Carter on economic policy, Yudof said, noting that Blum was especially proud of Feinstein, Californias senior senator, the first woman to chair the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and his wife of 42 years. Moscones assassination that same year saw Feinstein propelled into the citys top job, and when she and Blum married in 1980, many viewed it as a marriage of the public and private sectors, The Times reported. She described his work for the people of the Himalayas and noted he was a longtime friend of the Dalai Lama. Regents Chairman Richard Blum speaks at a University of California Board of Regents special meeting in San Francisco, Calif. on March 27, 2008. 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. Originally from Miami, she holds a masters degree in journalism from USC. The death of an American investor and husband of United States Senator Dianne Feinstein Richard Blum came as a shock to his friends and family. That move could have caused Ms. Feinstein to leave the Senate and travel overseas with Mr. Blum, and some Democrats saw it as a potential way for her to make a graceful exit from Congress at age 87. As a financier, he amassed a fortune that he spent on Democrats, helping to propel his wife from San Francisco mayor to a long career in the Senate. Blum served as president and chairman of Blum Capital Partners, an equity investment company he founded in 1975, and was a longtime member for the University of California Board of Regents, the body that oversees the system. Roger Ressmeyer/CORBIS/VCG via Getty Images, Vivan Mehra/The The India Today Group via Getty Images, Eric Luse/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images, Michael Macor/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images. He was 86. 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. My husband was my partner and best friend for more than 40 years. Before Richard Blum faced Mt. Leave a sympathy message to the family on . My heart is broken today, Feinstein said. At the time, she was preoccupied with the illness of her second husband, neurosurgeon Bertram Feinstein, who later died of colon cancer in 1978. It was always a great pleasure to break bread together, compare notes and catch up, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said on the Senate floor Monday. My heart is broken today. He was 86.. 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. Box 154, Tampico, IL 61283 www.tampicohistoricalsociety.com tampicohistoricalsociety@gmail.com President Joan Johnson, 815-438-7581 or garyjoan@thewisp.net Family History Coordinator, Denise McLoughlin 815-718-3617. And three, I get to pay to watch all this happen.. https://www.wsj.com/articles/richard-blum-husband-of-dianne-feinstein-dies-at-age-86-11646069883. Every day in the fog-caressed city of San Francisco, a half dozen souls are overwhelmed by the Big Sleep. Continue reading your article witha WSJ subscription, Already a member? Richard J Blum Casa Grande, Arizona February 26, 1949 - November 26, 2020 Obituary & Events Plant a tree Share a memory of Richard J Blum. It was that position that would lead him to Feinstein. 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. In addition to Ms. Feinstein, Mr. Blum is survived by a brother, Robert; his daughters, Annette, Heidi and Eileen; his stepdaughter, Katherine; and seven grandchildren. With deep pockets, he became a major figure in Democratic politics, counting Jimmy Carter as a jogging partner and Mr. Biden as one of many beneficiaries of his largess. California weighs $360,000 per person in reparations to eligible Black residents. Blum entered UC Berkeley in 1953, spent a year studying in Vienna, and completed his MBA at Berkeleys Haas School of Business. [29], Blum was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2016. 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. He is expected to return in the coming weeks, ahead of an expected April vote on Biden's Supreme Court nominee, Ketanji Brown Jackson. Devoted grandfather of 13 and brother of John (Kathy) Blum. [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. But he accompanied climbers across a glacier to the never-tackled Tibetan side. Will others follow? Edit Search New Search. Richard H. Blum "Sonny" age 86, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 13, 2023, at his home. Contact Us | He served on former President Barack Obama's Global Development Council. If youre in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist. By Josh Sosland. 2, we get to share 17 years of our tax returns on an intimate basis with 30 million people. In a statement of condolence, Mr. Biden called Mr. Blum a successful businessman and proud son of California who dedicated much of his public life to fighting poverty around the globe through the establishment of the American Himalayan Foundation, a nonprofit group that builds schools and hospitals in Tibet, and the Blum Center for Developing Economies at the University of California, Berkeley, which focuses on innovative solutions to global poverty. [1] He was the chairman and president of Blum Capital, an equity investment management firm. 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. In recent months, Feinstein spent considerable time away from her Senate schedule in Washington to be with him. This story has been shared 105,353 times. Fenner Funeral Home Inc.. All Rights Reserved. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, The World Conference of Religions for Peace, "Deal-Maker's Worlds Mesh at Party in S.F. Dick, we love you, well miss you and well continue to celebrate everything you accomplished during an amazing life, she said. Blum, the husband of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., has died after a long battle with cancer. In 2020, Blum was revealed to have written to the universitys chancellor to push for the admission of an applicant who had been waitlisted and had an approximately 1 in 4 chance of getting in. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) appears with husband Richard Blum at an election event in San Francisco in November 2018. Blum and the Dalai Lama met in Dharamshala in 1972 and became fast friends, snapping photos of themselves and joking about their past lives. He received bachelors and masters degrees in business administration at UC Berkeley and joined Sutro & Co. at the age of 23, where he worked as a $300-a-month junior research analyst. 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. financier, UC regent and husband of Sen. Dianne Feinstein", "The man behind URS, next to Sen. Feinstein", "San Francisco Mayor Is Planning To Marry an Investment Banker", "Fact Check: Did Sen. Feinstein get a sweetheart deal on post office sales for her husband? He spent years advocating for the Himalayas and founded the American Himalayan Foundation. He was 20 years older than George but stronger than George when they climbed the Himalayas. [29] He was awarded the UCSF medal in 2012. He and Blum would graduate from San Franciscos academically elite public high school, Lowell. I think its a bunch of nonsense.. Richard C. Blum is Dead, but Not (yet) Forgotten. Yet tributes to Blum on Monday crossed party lines. Dick was a family man, a man Arlen Richard Blum's Obituary - San Jose, California | Ever Loved Ms. Feinstein missed votes in recent weeks as Mr. Blums health declined, imperiling the Democrats precarious Senate majority, which relies on a tiebreaking vote from Vice President Kamala Harris. Receive breaking news and original analysis - sent right to your inbox. Richard Blum never feared to speak the truth the man has guts whether to governors, fellow regents, students, staff, faculty or media, Yudof said in the foreword to Blums oral history, recorded during more than 20 hours from 2009 to 2014 by three interviewers and stored at the Bancroft Library of UC Berkeley. 1, he said, we get to see on a regular basis everything shes ever done and Ive ever done distorted in the newspapers. Family and friends can send flowers and condolences in memory of the loved one. Clint married Linda Hudson on September 5, 1960. 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. RICHARD BLUM OBITUARY. 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.