Former Manalapan Mayor Peter Blum dies at age 93

Peter Blum, a former mayor and vice mayor of Manalapan, died Monday, Jan. 23, 2023. He was 93 years old.

Mr. Blum was born on Aug. 14, 1929, in Peoria, Ill., to Peter Blum and Ruth (Sill) Blum. On May 8, 1948, he married his high school sweetheart, Maureen (Teena) Forbes. During their honeymoon in Florida, he bought property on Federal Highway in Boca Raton and opened a premier furniture and design studio, Blums of Boca. He moved to Florida in 1962.

He was a member of the Manalapan Town Committee for 24 years, serving terms as mayor and vice mayor. He also served on the planning and zoning board member of Boca Raton and was president of the Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of the Bethesda Hospital Foundation board and the Boca Raton Community Hospital Board.

In 1970, he and other community leaders began planning for The Peter Blum Family YMCA of Boca Raton. The DeVos-Blum Family YMCA of Boynton Beach also bears his name.

In 2013, Mr. Blum married Mary Morrell.

He is survived by a son, Randy (Debby); a stepdaughter, Caitlin (Brian) Moran; five grandchildren, Marlena (Rob) Pernett, Peter and Michael Blum and Lincoln and Ainsley Moran; and eight great-grandchildren.

He was predeceased by wife Teena; two sons, Peter and Larry; and his sister and brother-in-law, Dodie and Bill Harris.

A Celebration of Life will take place at 1 p.m. Monday at St. Mark’s Roman Catholic Church, 643 NE Fourth Ave, Boynton Beach, FL 33435.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to The YMCA, 6631 Palmetto Circle South, Boca Raton, FL 33433, or Bethesda Hospital Foundation, 2815 S. Seacrest Boulevard, Boynton Beach, FL 33435.

Lorne & Sons Funeral Home, (www.LorneandSons.com), Delray Beach, is in charge of arrangements.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Mr. Blum involved with YMCA, Bethesda Hospital as well as politics