Maureen Casey Blum joined her husband James Paul Blum, Sr in eternity on June 10, 2021. Maureen was a giant in all ways but one. Her Earthly story began and ended with a constancy of love. On February 18, 1945, she was born into the legendary Casey clan of Lynn, MA. She and her sisters Sharon and Patty, and her brother Gene, enjoyed the love and fun of a large and exuberant Irish Catholic extended family. Though outsiders might perceive her childhood household as of limited means, the family had deep reserves of incredible wealth. It is said that her father Eugene Patrick Casey rarely traveled without a 100 dollar bill in his pocket; her mother Patricia Desmond Casey secretly accepted below market compensation for baked pies and washed clothes for neighbors merely for the joy of labor, also serving many as a nurse. Especially with her best friend Sharon, Maureen enjoyed playing amid the luxury of the exclusive Casey Beach pool and grounds, running free in the woods, swimming in the lake guarded by the ever-present lifeguard Myrtle (the rock), and as she got older enjoying car maintenance at the family-owned Esso Service Station where the mechanic (her Daddy) addressed every automotive need. As a child, she had a gaggle of family nuns (7 aunts) who prayed for her every day.
But Maureen wanted to make her own mark on the world. While sitting in the library of Fisher Junior College, she contemplated a life of clerical work on a subfloor of the John Hancock Building vs. one of courage and adventure. She chose the latter and joined the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in 1964. Special Agent Blum was assigned to Tokyo, Japan and had a central role in the submission of the Agency’s budget to President Johnson’s desk at the height of the Vietnam War. It is said that the budget itself had her fingerprints all over it. She saved it once from a serious coffee spill. While in Japan she attended a party where she was supposed to meet the wealthy son of a US industrialist; he didn’t show, so instead she met an heir to the best frozen food company in Pittsburgh. His name was Jim Blum. They married 3 months later and made history together, including a possible world record for largest height differential between husband and wife.
After returning to the States, Maureen and Jim settled first in the Boston area, then Chicago, and finally Atlanta where they lived out their days and raised a family. Maureen is survived by her children: James and Kristina (Peachtree Corners, GA), William and Kristie (Brookhaven, GA), Patrick and Mindy (Monroe, NC), and Maureen and Matt (Greensboro, NC). All the Irish ancestors especially her dear-old-Dad (“D.O.D.” in her letters) were ecstatic with a first-born redheaded son, Jim Jr. The second child was a dreaded black-haired baby (Bill III), followed by Pat (who now has no hair at all), and finally their cherished daughter Maureen Margaret (Mo). Maureen and Jim taught their children how to grow the family treasure. Among many investments were real estate in Mountain Shadows, GA and Big Canoe, GA, a baseball field at the family estate on Sussex Ct (maintained by in-house grounds staff), and an automotive shop in the family-owned garage. Lessons for the future were passed along with the help of Maureen and Jim’s deeply valued investment club known as Waverly Hall. The family business was aided in small ways by cheap, unskilled labor compensated only in room and board, plus apprenticeship.
Of course, the investments were not of money but of time and love. And with time came a certain sarcastic wit from the Blum side that Maureen came to appreciate (if not always to share). As time went on she would have been worried if her children weren’t goofing around and giving her a hard time. When jokingly told “You are immortal!” while she was in the hospital, Maureen replied, “Oh I hope not!”
While her husband traveled the country for business, Maureen governed their young family with occasional discipline and always faithful support. In the early 1980’s she returned to school and followed her mother’s profession as a registered nurse. She joined North Fulton Regional Hospital around its inception and for 30 years took care of patients, eventually serving as Director of Case Management. She took great pride in making a difference for patients and staff (and whipping doctors to get their documentation completed correctly), using these skills later for family and friends whenever she could.
She retired only to go back to work again, for a time back at the hospital but then largely as a grandparent and, after her husband passed, an independent friend. She loved her grandchildren, reveling in their achievements and laughing heartily at their antics. Grammy will be loved forever by Sumner, Pete, Jack, Aislin, Corbin, Joe, and Merritt. Maureen tried new things and failed or succeeded with pride. She learned to play the clarinet (her grandson prayed for her in kindergarten “because she plays a lot of bad notes”). She wrote two books, took up knitting, painting, a Middle East class, rock climbing, sheep herding, and taxidermy. After years of brainwashing, she came to love Notre Dame football including sometimes yelling at the TV during games even though she didn’t really know (or care) what was going on. With time, she noticed if a wedding was erroneously scheduled on a Notre Dame football gameday.
Maureen was always faithful, always supportive, always kind, always willing to help. If someone looked for aid, Maureen was the first to say, “Here I am. I’ll do it!” She saw the best in people and brought it out of them. She believed---in God, in people, and in the power of love. To be Maureen’s friend was to know she thought you were wonderful and worthy. She inspired confidence. Her friends were equally devoted and numerous including Nancy, Kathy, Jan, Sue, Betty, Janice, Chris, Rosalee, Irene and so many others that its best to stop and not leave anyone out. She had courage to try, courage to live, and courage to love. She lived a life of principle and sacrifice. She cared for her family, serving as the hospice nurse in some fashion for both parents and each of her three siblings, plus her husband. Though these things were a burden to her, she was grateful for the time and the chance to help. Gratitude and love of life defined her.
As a teacher in Sunday school, she taught children the story of her “Christmas miracle.” The event happened years before, in Tokyo at a windy and frosty Christmas Eve Mass. As the alms basket came around and she reached into her pocketbook, she realized that the only the money she had was what she needed for bus fare to get home. She silently passed her bus money into the basket. After Mass ended and she went outside to walk the 3 miles home, the wind was picking up and the sun had set… she just buttoned up, turned up her coat collar, and started on her long walk, stuffing her cold hands into her pockets… where she found just enough change to pay the bus fare.
This was Maureen throughout her life, giving all she had without hesitation and faithful that things would work out in the end.
A funeral mass will be held on Tuesday June 29th at 11am at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church, 1406 Hearst Drive, Brookhaven, GA 30319. Mass will be immediately followed by a gathering of family and friends at which all are welcome (at William’s home, within walking distance or a short drive from the church).
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Atlanta Habitat for Humanity https://www.habitat.org/donate/?link=271&source_code=DNWW14071000043&keyword=menu-top
or the East Africa Missions at the University of Notre Dame https://www.holycrossusa.org/article/mission-center-one-time-gift/
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