Jay Blum

John “Jay” Blum, beloved husband, father, uncle, cousin and friend, passed away peacefully on September 30, 2024 at Carlin Springs Health and Rehabilitation in Arlington, Virginia due to complications from cancer. He is survived by his loving wife, Sharon, and their cherished daughter, Jennifer. Jay’s legacy is one of humor, generosity, counsel, and leadership. He will be deeply missed.

Born and raised in Bronx, New York, Jay was the eldest son of Sybil Levy Blum, an educator in New York City. He attended Mount St. Michael’s Academy ‘62, with his brothers, Michael, and Skip; St. John’s University ‘67, where he met his wife, Sharon; Howard University where he earned a Master’s Degree in Biological Sciences; and SUNY Stony Brook where he added a Master’s Degree in Health Administration to his academic portfolio.

Jay’s distinguished career and exceptional life focused on health, compassion, and service. At Sydenham Hospital, Harlem, New York, he served as chief hospital administrator. Recognizing that Sydenham meant more to the community than just heath care due to its place in history as the first municipal hospital to hire African American doctors and nurses, Jay fought valiantly to try to keep it open during the city-wide budget cuts in the late 1970s. Other executive positions included health organizations within the private, public, and non-profit sectors. More recently, Jay applied his ample talents to the music industry where he developed and nurtured new talent.

Jay loved spending time at the Blum summer home in Nantucket, MA; the Dukette summer home in Sag Harbor, NY; and any other sandy beach he and Sharon could find, from the Virgin Islands to City Island in the Bronx. Of course, as a life-long New Yorker, until the last few years when he and Sharon relocated to Virginia, Jay remained a super fan of the New York Yankees and football.

Jay Blum is pre-deceased by his mother, Sybil Levy Blum; and his brothers, Michael Blum, and Alvin (Skip) Miller Jr. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Sharon Dukette Blum; daughter, Dr. Jennifer L. Blum; son-in-law, Jonathan Garrett Jr.; sisters-in-law, Ann Dukette, Linda Dukette, Caryn Gerardi, and Karen Miller; nephews and nieces, Adam, Brian, Dominic, Justin, Michelle, and Niambi; grand-nephews and -nieces; his extended family of cousins, and Kappa Alpha Psi brothers; and many, many friends.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at Murphy Funeral Homes, 4510 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington VA 22203 from 1:00pm until 4:00pm. All who knew Jay are welcome to attend and join in celebrating his remarkable life and legacy.