BLUM, Samuel D., (Dr.)

The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Arizona Wednesday, April 9, 2003 Dr. Samuel D. Blum, of Mesa, Arizona, formerly of West Palm Beach, Fl & Morristown, NJ, succumbed to cancer on Sunday, April 6, 2003, at the age of 83. He will be greatly missed by his family & friends for his sense of humor, never ending jokes, & the twinkle in his eyes! Dr. Blum was born May 25, 1919 & raised in Bronx, NY. He met his wife, Shirley Colton Blum, at a USO dance in NYC in 1943. They married shortly before he shipped out for Europe as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corp. during WWII. His plane was shot down over Germany in early 1944, and he survived the remainder of the war in a German POW camp, liberated in 1945. Upon returning to the U.S., he & his wife took up residence in New Jersey to raise their three children. Dr. Blum then made the decision to study medicine, choosing Chiropractic. He received a Doctor of Chiropractic degree in 1958, & began his practice in Morristown, NJ. Over the next 45 years, he continued to be a pioneer in the field of alternative medicine, adding techniques such as Applied Kinesiology and Acupuncture to his practice. Although he retired to Florida in 1982 - to work on his golf game - his love of medicine continued. He moved to Arizona in 1993, and during his last years he shared his passion, wisdom, and expertise by teaching at the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine & Healing Sciences in Tempe, AZ. In January 2002, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree for his work with the college. Dr. Blum was a devoted husband of 59 years to Shirley C. Blum, and loving father of Bette Blum (husband, Chris Underhill) of Phoenix, AZ, Eric (Rick) Blum (wife, Jennine) of Carlisle, MA, and Joanne Lane (husband, Jim) of Scottsdale, AZ. Grandfather of Rachel Fields (husband, Phil) of Chandler, AZ, the late David Nuttall, Nicholas Underhill of San Jose, CA, Julia and Alina Blum of Carlisle, MA, William Lane (wife, Jen) of Glendale, AZ, and Scott and Nancy Lane of Scottsdale, AZ. Great-grandfather of Macaley, Maia, and Marlee Fields of Chandler, AZ, and Megan and Aislinn Lane of Glendale, AZ. Beloved brother of Sylvia Schlein of New York City, NY, and brother-in-law of Mildred and Mike Cashman of Lake Worth, FL, and many nieces and nephews. A funeral service will be on Wednesday, April 9, 2003 at 10:30 am at Sinai Mortuary, 4538 N. 16th St., Phoenix; with burial at 12:30 pm at the National Memorial Cemetery at Pinnacle Peak Rd. and Cave Creek Rd., Phoenix. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his memory to Hospice of the Valley, 510 E. Flower St., Phoenix, AZ 85014 and/or Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine & Health Sciences, 2140 E. Broadway, Tempe, AZ 85282. Courtesy of Pat Wilson.