DEBBY BLUMER

I was absolutely stunned this morning to pick up the MetroWest Daily News and read that (my State Rep.) Debby Blumer had died of a heart attack while driving on Dudley Rd. in Framingham yesterday morning.  She was 64.  At one time, I would have considered 64 very old.  Considering I’m 52 and many of my friends and colleagues are in their 50s and 60s, I don’t think of it as old at all.  

My heart certainly goes out to Debby Blumer’s family and friends.

Over the past couple of years, I’ve had several occasions to be at local events where Debby was also present.  I also spoke to her on the phone a time or two about matters about which we held opposite positions.  I guess Debby considered me a community leader because she’d sent me several e-mails (which I assume also went to scores of people in the Framingham community) encouraging me to support Deval Patrick and to attend events promoting his candidacy.  I came very close to writing an e-mail back to her saying I like Deval very much as a person but I just can’t support his candidacy (he’s on the wrong side of too many issues).  I decided such an e-mail might hurt her feelings (although that was not my intention) so I didn’t bother to respond.  I didn’t agree with Debby or Deval’s ultra-liberal political views, but I did appreciate Debby’s passion and dedication to Framingham.

Recently I was part of a planning meeting for the Framingham Community Thanksgiving Service run by the Framingham Interfaith Clergy Association.  One of the features of these services is the reading of the Governor’s Proclamation.  It’s usually asked how you get that and I remember saying,  “You contact Debby Blumer and she’ll get it”.  Well, no she won’t.

Recently I wrote in a blog piece to think very carefully about what you say or don’t say because you never know when you or someone else will slip away into eternity.  This is just another example of that...