Obituary of Irving Blum

Irving Blum of Searsport died Sunday evening. He was a loving husband of more than 70 years to surviving wife Alberta R. Blum and was a veteran of World War II and an avid ballroom dance organizer and disk jockey. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1921, Mr. Blum joined the Navy during World War II, serving in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. Following the war, he and his bride moved to Washington D.C. and then to Silver Spring, Md. where they raised their family of daughter Beth and son Eric. In Maryland Mr. Blum held various sales jobs and helped his wife operate Albert's Dance Studio during the 1950's and 60s. Mr. and Mrs. Blum moved to Miami Beach, Fla. in 1971. There he concentrated on entrepreneurial ventures, including as proprietor of a hotel. But the Blums' passion had always been dancing, which led them to the creation of a successful ballroom dance club serving the Fort Lauderdale area. Mr. Blum was a smooth and knowledgable disk jockey, selecting a variety of waltzes, fox trots and latin dances for crowds that surpassed 200 on many occasions. The Blums moved to Maine in 2007 and lived in the Searsport home of Beth Berman and Brian Callahan. Mr. Blum volunteered his services at the Belfast YMCA, playing music for Sunday afternoon dances. He is survived by grandchildren Russell Hornstein of Malta, Seth Blum of Dumfries, Va. and Meredith Beckardt of Bethesda, Md. He enjoyed Skyping with his six great grandsons and great granddaughter. Interment will be in Falls Church, Va.