Floyd "Skip" Blum

He was born on August 6, 1932, in Cleveland, Ohio to parents Floyd and Ethel Blum.

In 1949, his family moved to Fort Pierce, FL, where he completed his senior year of high school. Upon graduating, he enrolled at the University of Florida, majoring in Architecture.

Skip enlisted in the Army in March 1953; he transferred to the Army Reserves in 1955, and in the same year married his first wife, Nedra Blum, with whom he had 5 children. He returned to the University of Florida and graduated with honors in 1958 with a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering.

Upon graduating from the University of Florida, Skip’s career included working on the Douglas Thor Missile Program, the Blue Scout Program, the Minuteman Program, and Head of the Electrical Department and Hirschberg, Thompson & Associates before settling into his career with NASA. While working for NASA Skip worked Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz test project, Titan Centaur program, Mars Lander, and in 1975 he started working for the Space Shuttle Program as a Safety Engineer. Skip retired from NASA in 1992.

An avid “GATOR” fan, Skip was also a member of IEEE and Moose Lodge. Skip was a nationally ranked horseshoe player and enjoyed playing shuffleboard and bridge with his wife Shirley.

He is predeceased by his second wife, Gerry F. Blum; sister, Gwendolyn June; son, Earle W. Blum; and grandson, Justin Lee Blum.

Floyd is survived by his wife, Shirley, and her four children and grandchildren; his sister, Melva Jane; his children, James (Stephnie) Blum, Victor L. Blum, John W. Blum, Patty (Al) Manley (Blum), and George F. Blum; grandchildren, Wesley, Michael, Christopher, Brittney, and Emily; and great-grandchildren, Sawyer and Ethan.

A visitation will be held Saturday, October 7, from 2-3 pm, with a funeral service at 3 pm at Brevard Memorial Funeral Home. Entombment will follow immediately after the service, at Brevard Memorial Park.

If so moved, donations should be sent to the American Cancer Society or Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.