Murray Sheldon Blum

1929-2015

Murray Sheldon Blum, of Athens, 85, beloved husband, father and grandfather, pioneering scientist and explorer of the natural world, exuberant lover of life, family, friends, good jokes and bad puns, bright colors, operatic arias and insects of all varieties, died peacefully at home on Sunday, March 22.

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 19, 1929, he grew up in Chicago where, even as a child, he gained local fame for tirelessly chasing butterflies down the city’s busy streets. He pursued that fascination until he earned a PhD in entomology from the University of Illinois in 1955. After serving as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army, he joined the Department of Entomology at Louisiana State University in 1957. Ten years later, he became a professor of entomology at the University of Georgia. In 1978, he was appointed to a prestigious UGA research professorship; the university also honored him with the Lamar Dodd Award for Creative Research in Science. He received many other honors for his work, which explored the surprisingly sophisticated use of chemical communication by insects. He was both a National Science Foundation fellow at the University of Bristol in England and a Fulbright Fellow who taught at the University of Paris. In 1989, he received the International Society of Chemical Ecology Medal for outstanding scientific contributions. He was the author of several books, including Chemical Defenses of Arthropods, published more than 300 papers, and lectured around the world. He retired from UGA in 1995. After his retirement, he was a volunteer collector of specimens for the Georgia Museum of Natural History. He volunteered at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, where he was named a volunteer of the year in 2007. He was a long-time member and one-time president of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens.

He was widely known for his outgoing nature, lively sense of humor, and enthusiastic enjoyment of life. Neighbors recalled him cheerfully calling “Hello, World!” as he stepped out of the house on his way to work. He did magic tricks at parties, gave nature talks at elementary schools, encouraged his four daughters to keep pets that included snakes and tarantulas, praised the fascination of insects to anyone who would listen. At one point he persuaded former television show host, Bryant Gumble of NBC, to share in a snack of beetles on the Today show. His love of family was equally well known. He once took out a billboard on Lexington Road in Athens that told everyone - in very large letters - how much he loved his wife, Ann.

He is survived by his wife, to whom he was married for 62 years, and his four daughters: Deborah Blum and husband, Peter Haugen of Madison, WI; Darcy Szeremi and husband, Michael, of Durham, N.C.; Dawn Lewis and husband Fred of Austin, Texas, and Dana Kuehn of Jacksonville, Florida and partner, Steve Kenney; and his seven grandchildren, Marcus Haugen, Lucas Haugen, Hannah Lewis, Alex Lewis, Amanda Lewis, Andrew Szeremi and Tristan Szeremi; a sister, Helen Meyers of Glenview, IL and a brother, Paul Blum of Gardnerville, NV.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m., Saturday, April 4th at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens, 780 Timothy Road, with reception to follow.

The family would like to give special thanks to Gentiva Hospice and to Nancy Shottick for their exceptional care. Donations in his memory can be made to either Friends of the Georgia Museum of Nature History, 103 Cedar Street, Athens, GA 30602 or the State Botanical Garden at 2450 S Milledge Ave, Athens, GA 30606.