Don Blum, a proud Marine, an original member of the Colts Marching and a 50-year member of the Oriole Advocates passed away on Friday in Towson. A successful business manager for a variety of local firms, including Ernst & Whinney, now EY, and several private clubs (The Engineer's Club, The Country Club of Maryland, The Elkridge Club, Hillendale Golf & Country Club and The Baltimore Yacht Club), Don was also an accomplished musician.

Don worked for The University of Maryland, The Department of Agriculture, The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, The Gunther Brewing Company, The Theo Hamm Brewing Company, The Ballantine Brewing Company, and was an administrator for the Bauermann & Druzgala Accounting firm and Sudina Search, Inc. He also worked for Grempler Realty, Inc. and Metro Referral Associates, Inc.

His musical career began in grade school in the church marching band of 14 Holy Martyr's Catholic Church in southwest Baltimore. He also served as Drum Sergeant playing snare drum in the Flander's Post #65 of The American Legion and performed in a number of Drum Corps Competitions throughout the state. Don was a member of the first Colt's Marching Band for several years when the team colors were green and silver as part of the American Association. While attending Mt. St. Joseph High School, Don was part of the marching, concert, pep and dance bands that provided music for both school functions as well as traveling throughout the State.

After graduation, Don worked with a number of local jazz groups and larger ensembles along with his own group titled "Don's Ambassadors" where he specialized on both the Alto and Baritone saxophones. His most famous engagements however, occurred when in the last year of his military enlistment, while on active duty in the Marine Corps Reserve, he joined and performed as a Staff Sergeant in the Radio Section of the U.S. Marine Corps Band at Camp Pendleton, California. While there, the section performed a weekly Coast to Coast radio show and weekly West Coast T.V. Show from Hollywood, California titled "Marines in Review".

After discharge from service, Don earned an MBA from The American University which led to him becoming an Adjunct College Professor for over 50 years beginning with a return to The University of Baltimore where he had obtained his bachelor's degree. He served for three years as Division Chair for Business and Management on the Essex Campus of The Community College of Baltimore County. In addition, he later taught a variety of business courses at Towson State, now Towson University, The University of Maryland University College, (UMUC), now The University of Maryland Global Campus and Johns Hopkins University as well as on the campus of Hunt Valley and both Dundalk and Essex campuses for CCBC in Baltimore County.

Another side career of volunteerism began with membership in The Baltimore Jaycees where he developed an affinity for serving the community through Community Service. In the early years he earned both the SPOKE Award for new members and Spark Plug Award for continuing achievements as a senior member and eventually received a Life Membership Award #5777 from the Junior Chamber International Senate. He was also designated as The First Admiral of the Chesapeake in a State Jaycees Membership Drive for having recruited and signed 100 new members over a period of three years to the local chapter. He was Vice President for the U.S. Jaycees Annual Convention in June of 1967 titled "Fun Galore in Baltimore!" This convention was credited for having been the biggest and most financially successful U.S. Jaycees Convention at that point in time.

Don was president of the Glen Oaks Community Association for several years and active in the Hampton Community Association.

Don was instrumental in creating three separate Foundations; The Garrett-Jacobs Mansion Endowment Fund while working at the Engineer's Club; The Oriole Advocates' Charitable Foundation while president of the Oriole Advocates, Inc. and The Baltimore Club Foundation for the Greater Baltimore Club Managers Association while serving on the board. Over the years, he has also been active in his church parish while serving many years as Usher, Parish Council Member for two terms, Money Counter for over a decade and Communicant at The Church of The Nativity in Timonium.

In addition to earning the Certified Manager (C.M.) Certification from the Society for the Advancement of Management, Don held the Certified Administration Manager (C.A.M.) Certification from the Administrative Management Society, which was the first one awarded in the Baltimore area.  Don served for several years as a Regional Vice President for The Society for The Advancement of Management and served as a Regional Director for The American Management Society.

Don has been honored with two scholarships in his name - The Donald J. Blum Baseball Scholarship at the Mount St. Joseph H. S. for a returning baseball player to the varsity squad and The Greater Baltimore Club Manager's Association Donald J. Blum Scholarship to be awarded to a promising employee applicant of a GBCMA member club.

Don was predeceased by his mother, Helen Radzevich, father, Frank P. Blum, and siblings Anna M. Bond and Franklin J. Blum., and beloved wife of 52 years Margaret M. Blum.  He is survived by his son Donald Blum, Jr. (wife Juli), grandson Taylor Blum (wife Kate), grandson Kevin Blum (fiancée Kendall Peterson), granddaughter Caroline Blum and great-granddaughter Greer Blum.

Friends are invited to visit at the Ruck Towson Funeral Home, Inc.  1050 York Rd, Towson, MD on Friday, June 19th from 1-3 & 5-7pm. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at the Church of the Nativity, 20 E. Ridgely Rd, Timonium, MD 21093 on Saturday, June 20th at 1:30pm. The interment will be private.