In Memoriam
Marc P. Blum
Marc Blum died on August 15, 2023. Here are two obituaries followed by the essay that Marc contributed to our 50th Reunion Book.
Obituary, Johns Hopkins University
by Richard Jasnow, Chair of the Department of Near Eastern Studies
August 21, 2023
Marc Blum
1964 Yale graduation
It is with tremendous sadness that we learned of the passing of Marc Blum on Tuesday, August 15, 2023. Marc was a great and true friend to us in the Department of Near Eastern Studies. Indeed, the entire Blum family has for years been stalwart supporters of our disciplines.
Marc’s parents, Alvin and Mildred, were particularly close to a beloved professor of Hebrew in our Department, Sam Iwry. In 1986 they established the Samuel Iwry annual lecture series (still going strong), and in 2002, the Blum-Iwry Professorship in Near Eastern Studies (held by Prof. Ted Lewis).
Marc made a point of attending our Departmental lectures and dinners. On such occasions he was always happy to talk with all of us in NES, students, staff, and faculty. The Shabbat dinners organized by Marc and his wife, Leonor, which his brothers Jim and Joel attended, were amazing affairs. Marc and Leonor invited writers, professors, judges, religious leaders, psychologists, friends from all different walks of life, with the aim of encouraging lively and fascinating conversation. He clearly enjoyed hearing what others had to say and exchanging ideas with them. A salon in the best sense of the word!
Marc Blum
recently
Marc himself was a remarkable person who had an equally remarkable career. I remember vividly a recent conversation with him about his experiences as a captain in the US Army for two years from about 1969–1971. A well-known lawyer, he combined an extraordinary intelligence with a sense of humor, grace, and charm. We in NES naturally think of Marc in terms of his relationship to our Department. However, he was supportive of many other Baltimore institutions and projects. Such a person as Marc enriches the world, and we will miss him terribly.
All of us in the Department of Near Eastern Studies extend our heartfelt sympathies to the Blum family for their tragic loss.
Obituary, McDonogh School
McDonogh School mourns the loss of Marc Paul Blum, an alumnus of the Class of 1960 and a former McDonogh trustee who served as President of the Board from 2001 to 2005. Marc passed away on Tuesday, August 15 at the age of 80.
Marc first came to McDonogh in 1948 at the age of six and graduated 12 years later as a member of the Dirty Dozen. He was on the honor roll for 11 years and was the Commander of Company B during his senior year. He also earned the Current Events Award and the Public Speaking Prize.
After McDonogh, Marc went to Yale University where he received a bachelor’s degree. From there, he attended Columbia University where he earned a Bachelor of Laws in 1967 and was awarded a Ph.D. in 1969. He then served as a Captain in the U.S. Army for two years, after which he earned his CPA and became associated with the Baltimore law firm Gordon, Feinblatt, Rothman, Hoffberger & Hollander (now Gordon Feinblatt, LLC). In 1992, he became CEO of the World Total Return Fund.
Marc fondly remembered his time as a McDonogh student and the community atmosphere that prevailed on the campus which included both a school and homes for faculty and staff. His strong belief in the value of faculty housing was the motivation for his gift of more than $5 million for the construction of 38 residences on the south end of campus — Marc Village. His vision was of a small community ambiance where parents and their children can converse and play in their adjoining front yards. At the official opening of the neighborhood in 2018, he said, “The purpose of Marc Village is to further the feeling of community for all members of the McDonogh Family on the campus and by doing so to enable McDonogh School to continue to attract fine faculty and staff.”
Generous with his time and treasure, Marc was honored in 2007 as both a McDonogh Fellow (an honor for the major benefactors of the school, now called the Circle of Philanthropy) and a Distinguished Service Award recipient. During the decade prior to his four-year term as President of the Board of Trustees, he served on numerous committees and provided financial support for two endowed teaching chairs and the scholarship program. In 1998, in honor of the school’s 125th anniversary, he wrote a history of John McDonogh and the early years of the school.
Said Head of School Dave Farace ’87, “Marc was a thoughtful, steadfast leader in every way. His love for McDonogh was palpable, and it was an honor to work with and learn from him.”
Marc will be remembered for always taking an interest in and caring about others. His legacy at McDonogh School will not only be one of establishing his namesake neighborhood but also in naming the streets and houses for well-known and lesser-known individuals who made an impact. At the opening of the Village, Marc shared that one of the houses was named for James Burgess, the driver of Bus 3 when he was six. Marc welcomed members of Burgess’s family who were overwhelmed by the honor and quipped, “Perhaps on many days I spent more time with James than Henrietta [his wife] did, as my round trip here was three hours!”
He is survived by his wife Leonor, children Ari ’91 and Alex, three siblings, and four grandchildren. A funeral service will be held at Sol Levinson, 8900 Reisterstown Road, Pikesville, MD 21208, on Thursday, August 17 at 2:30pm. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be sent to Adelante Latina!
Essay, 50th Reunion Book
by Marc Blum
May 2014
A coincidence on 9/11/01 has been a turning point for me. The Davis mutual funds were to have their regular quarterly board meetings at 2 World Trade, 94th floor, at 9:00am. But on 6/12/01 our Chairman, Jeremy Biggs ’58, said we ought to move the 9/11/01 meeting to Chicago, because we hadn’t rotated through there for a couple of years.
Continuing to be here is a thrill. In addition, on a long ride back east on that beautiful night, a clear sky and no contrails, I resolved to both smell more flowers and to learn why 9/11 happened. I include a 9/11 Memorial Essay with my 3Q newsletter for the investment fund I manage, a balanced exchange fund.
My wife, Leonor, is now retired after 30 years of teaching political science and also the occasional course in history and advanced Spanish literature, at Notre Dame of Maryland University. Leonor as Professor Emerita is still working just as much. She is recruiting sophomore girls in the Baltimore City Public School system to her program, Adelante Latina, which aims to get girls onto a track for college.
Our older son, Ari, is married to Judge Melanie, and they have one daughter, Amelie (4), in Denver. Ari continues to work on business ventures of his own while also helping me manage World Total Return Fund, LLP. Our younger son, Alex, is a happily unmarried CPA in Baltimore.
In the business world I have continued on boards of public and private companies, and valuation committees for venture funds based in Baltimore — QuestMark, Camden, and Greenspring. My legal career included federal tax litigation, winning substantial refunds in two U.S. Tax Court opinions.
Community activities include becoming President of the Board of Trustees of McDonogh School; to wind up after a 30-year run the Council for Equal Business Opportunity in Baltimore; to be a Trustee of the Kennedy Krieger Institute; and for most of the last 15 years to serve as a Trustee of Notre Dame of Maryland University. I continue on investment committees for the Morris Goldseker Foundation, Commonfund Capital, Inc., Latin American Studies Association, LifeBridge Health, and perhaps most interestingly, also serving as a trustee for United World College-USA. This is one of 12 originally two-year institutions in each of 12 countries which prepare for college classes of 100 student leaders nominated by committees in every country. The UWC-USA has students from 75 countries on its campus. Lord Mountbatten founded this program at the end of WWII to knit the world closer together. It does. The students bond.
Wistfully, I remember these good friends associated with our class who are no longer with us: Ned Bienemann, my law partner for many years; Joe Dilworth, my grad school roommate; and Wes Grant and Bob Heeter, my college roommates, all life-long friends.