Blue Mass Group

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Debby Blumer’s funeral

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I just came back from Debby Blumer’s funeral in Framingham.  It was a very sad time, but still filled with loving and joyous stories of a passionate life.

Temple Beth Am was packed and beyond.  Every street within a half mile of the temple was lined with parked cars.  Her children, Lynne, Marjorie, and Adam, as well as her husband Irwin, all spoke of her passion for the daily work of politics.  Debby was working the phones on Monday.  Debby was working the phones on Tuesday.  Debby was working the phones on Wednesday.  Debby was working the phones in the back of Framingham headquarters.  Adam said that’s where he was going to be between now and election day, dialing for Deval.

Go find a Deval phone bank.  Let’s share Debby’s passion and honor her memory by electing her candidate for governor.  Do it for Debby.

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  1. I was there too. Wouldn’t have missed it. Adam said that his mom would have said to him something to the effect of “you have all these people together in a captive audience and you haven’t asked them to DO something?”

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    I think and I hope that the phone banks will have a new crop of people showing up who have never done anything like calling strangers before. I hope so.

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    I was also thinking as I saw Kerry Healy in the front of the synagogue, that from what I’ve seen of Healy, she will never be 1/10 the person Debby was. Whether or not she actually heard what was said about Debby being a dedicated public servant who always based her decisions on what was right whether or not it was popular, we will never know.

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    It will be impossible to replace Debby. I just hope that we can find someone with the same progressive moral compass. To do anything less would not do honor to her memory.

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    May she rest in peace and see from afar what she had worked so hard for come to fruition.

    • Debby was always the “go to” person for education.  She would always file the progressive legislation, and would take on the fight for the children and the Framingham schools.

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      Debby acted out of principle.  Debby acted out of her heart.  She was warm.  She listened.  She was the exact opposite of dealing with Kerry Healey.  A meeting with Healey was an exercise in people talking at each other.  At the appointed time, Healey would stand up and walk out the door, nothing achieved.

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      It is impossible to replace Debby, but you have some really great people in Framingham who would make Debby proud.  I know you have a really great school committee – I have worked with several members over the years.  The only problem is the election is only 22 days away.  A vote for Debby doesn’t count, so Democrats must unify behind a candidate or votes may split to allow a write-in Republican to win.

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      • the DTC is trying mightily to figure out how to do this right. Process is very important, but with 22 days it is almost impossible to do it the way everyone would like.

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        Hopefully there will be someone everyone can get behind, but what we really need is more time so that those who are interested can have an opportunity to introduce themselves to everyone and there can be a fair debate, a fair primary, and an end result that Debby would be proud of and pleased with.

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        MA law, as it stands,  makes that almost impossible. We shall see.

        • Process is a wonderful thing, but there isn’t much time for process.  Don’t wish for what we don’t have; if we could have our wishes fulfilled we would have Debby back at the phone banks.

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          You have some really great people in Framingham.  I don’t know who lives in the district, but you need to have a campaign in swing before Saturday. 

  2. First, I’ll say that she is someone who I never had the honor of knowing in life.

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    Second, I’ll just say quickly that she definitely had an impact on those who did know her. I’m only aware of this because those people told me how important she was to them. That was profound.

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    Her supporters, who are Deval supporters, told me that she had a victory party planned. Plans have changed, obviously…But she still wants to see you celebrate this victory from wherever place she is now. When the great day comes, remember those who didn’t quite make it to the new MA. They laid the groundwork, after all…

      • It would be pretty hard to find any of Debby’s supporters who were not Deval supporters, and enthusiastic ones at that. She was cheerleading him on from the early days of the campaign and doing so wholeheartedly, the way she did just about everything.

  3. The funeral was a moving tribute.  It would have made Deb very proud.

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    I’m reposting some of my thoughts on Deb, because it was at the end of a thread a few days old.

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    Deb Blumer was tireless public servant and campaigner.  The night before her death she was sitting at the Framingham HQ making ID calls for the Patrick Murray campaign.  Deb and I spoke on Thursday as we were planning for Tim Murray’s visit to Framingham, scheduled for Friday.  We spoke of the fundraising efforts she was leading for Deval Patrick. 

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    Deb had put her heart and soul into Deval Patrick’s campaign.  She was a regular at our phone banks. 

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    When I learned of her death on Friday, I had a phone bank scheduled for that evening.  While several events were cancelled, I made the decision to continue with the phone bank, for those who felt comfortable proceeding as planned.  The phone bank was held in her memory and in her honor.  We all felt it was what Deb would have wanted.  In our grief, we wanted to be with others who knew her, doing what she would have been doing.  It is a tribute to her that we had twenty-one people on the phones on a Friday evening.  Saturday morning I spoke with a friend of Deb’s who had been at the meeting she attended prior to her death.  Her parting comment to the group was an exhortation to hit the phones to get Deval Patrick and Tim Murray elected. 

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    I think of Deb sitting at a phone at a variety of campaign HQs over the years.  I remember as a regular at the Framingham conserts, stumping for Deval.  I have so many memories of her and her willingess to put her actions behind her words. I am grateful for her encouragement to me in my efforts over the years.

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    She will be deeply missed.

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    In sadness,

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    Kate

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      • …since Condoleeza Rice didn’t come either!

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        I thought it was a nice gesture, for a fellow member of a group that they both felt strongly about.  Which is not partisan, but is dedicated to better governance by electing women to office.

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        My mistake.

  5. Story

    Tireless Rep mourned
    By Emelie Rutherford/ Daily News Staff
    Tuesday, October 17, 2006 – Updated: 01:24 AM EST

    FRAMINGHAM — State Rep. Deborah Blumer was bid a tearful farewell yesterday by her family, friends and hundreds of people she touched, from members of the Legislature and Jewish community to immigration and gay marriage advocates.   Blumer, D-Framingham, died unexpectedly at age 64 last Friday after suffering a heart attack while driving in Framingham. A longtime community activist who fought for vulnerable populations, Blumer was running unopposed for her fourth term.   “She was inclusiveness personified,” Blumer’s son, Adam Blumer, said during her funeral service at Temple Beth Am.   “Even if she was never state rep she would have been the best friend Framingham ever had,” Adam Blumer said.   He encouraged grieving attendees — some of whom lined the walls in the overflow temple after the 700 seats were filled — to look next to them to see the different types of people his mother knew.   There were the politicians: Democratic candidate for governor Deval Patrick, Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey, U.S. Rep. Edward Markey, D-7th, and dozens of teary state lawmakers.   There were the leaders of causes dear to Blumer, from places such as Jewish Family Services of MetroWest, South Middlesex Opportunity Council, the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition and MassEquality.   There were Framingham leaders and organizers, including old friends such as Deborah Blumer’s predecessor Barbara Gray.   And there were those who knew Deborah Blumer best.   Her daughter, Lynne Beattie of Framingham, joked about being in her 40s and not being able to keep up with her 60-something mother, who she called a “multi-tasker extraordinaire.”   Deborah Blumer never allowed her kids to tell jokes with ethnic and racial slurs, and insisted they change such jokes to be about “Martians and Plutonians,” said her daughter Marjorie Lemmon of Cromwell, Conn.   “My mom taught me to be tolerant to everyone regardless of their walk in life,” Lemmon said.   Deborah Blumer’s husband, Irwin Blumer, described the savvy 15-year-old blonde he met at a dance in Chelsea half a century ago. He then described Deborah Blumer as a young mother, an unpaid worker for a congressional candidate, a mediator and arbitrator at the state Department of Education, an MBA student, a manager at technology firms, a Finance Committee member and, in 2000, a candidate for state representative.   “She knocked on 4,000 doors and talked and listened,” Irwin Blumer said, joking it was at times difficult to convince his wife to wrap up a conversation and move to the next house.   He said he had never seen her as happy in her work as when she was at the State House. He said she always voted her conscience, “regardless of the consequences.”   After the funeral service, House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi said Deborah Blumer “made me tired just watching her.”   “She was relentless in her pursuit to help people,” DiMasi said, adding she was instrumental in helping him learn about health care reform.   Deborah Blumer was actively campaigning for Patrick, who called her “a force of nature.”   “She was an early and ardent supporter, and she took the time to kick the tires and question me on the issues,” Patrick said as politicians hugged and sniffled outside the temple. “She did it all, the policy stuff, the phone banking. Nothing was too big or too small.”   Deborah Blumer was not one to draw attention to herself in the Legislature, said state Rep. Cory Atkins, D-Concord, whose seat on the House floor is behind Blumer’s.   “She didn’t have to get the fanfare, she just got it done,” Atkins said.   Blumer fought to change how public schools are funded, pushed to expand health care access in the state, rejected calls to lower the income tax, fought to preserve gay marriage and backed a bill to grant illegal immigrants’ kids tuition breaks.   “When others were anti-immigrant she was fighting on behalf of immigrant rights, standing alone sometimes,” said Paulo Pinto, executive director of Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers.   Marc Solomon, campaign director of MassEquality, said he always knew Blumer supported his group’s fight to preserve gay marriage, because she would remind him.   “When we’d send out an e-mail she’d send me a personal note back telling us she’s fighting the fight and (for us to) keep up the good work,” Solomon said.   Shiva will take place at the Blumers’ home at 7 Ledgewood Road today and tomorrow from noon to 9 p.m.   Her family asked that donations be made in her memory to one of three places: the Angel Fund, 649 Main St., Wakefield, MA 01880; the Danforth Museum of Art, 123 Union Ave., Framingham, MA 01702-8291; or the American Heart Association, 20 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701.   Emelie Rutherford can be reached at 617-722-2495 or erutherford@cnc.com.

  6. From the MetroWest Daily News

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    Election options for the Sixth Middlesex District
    Tuesday, October 17, 2006

    There are at least three options being discussed by politicos in town as to what could or should happen in the Nov. 7 election for the state representative seat.  The options include:  1. Democrats rally behind one write-in candidate whose intent would be to resign soon after the election so the state Legislature could declare a special election for early next year.  2. Democrats or Republicans rally behind one write-in candidate whose intent would be to serve the district, thus eliminating the need for a special election.  3. The state Legislature could attempt to change the state statute that does not recognize votes for dead candidates. Because Debby Blumer’s name would be on the ballot, any votes cast for her under the current law would not count. A change to the law would count those votes as valid but if a deceased candidate gets the most votes, a special election would be declared.

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    What’s next for Blumer’s seat?
    By Rob Haneisen/ Daily News Staff
    Tuesday, October 17, 2006

    FRAMINGHAM — Local Democrats are scrambling to come to consensus on how to fill the 6th Middlesex District House of Representatives seat following Deborah Blumer’s death.  Even before the three-term Democrat’s funeral service yesterday, Democrats and Republicans had meetings to discuss possible replacements and strategy for the three weeks before the Nov. 7 election.  According to one source, the Democrats are divided on whether to get behind someone who will run a write-in campaign and then step down to force a special election early next year or get behind a candidate who will run to serve the district.  “There is certainly division,” said Wes Ritchie, a Framingham Town Meeting member and aide to state Rep. Tom Sannicandro, D-Ashland. “I don’t think we’ll find someone right away and there is no Debby emerging. The big division is what happens when the party insiders anoint a candidate? I’m worried we might end up with someone who the party might feel can get elected, but can’t do the best job.”  Democrats met Sunday night to begin discussions of strategies for fielding candidates, and the Democratic Town Committee will meet tonight to continue those discussions.  State Sen. Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, said she hopes those discussions lead to clarity.  Spilka said one option quickly losing steam is the attempt to have the Legislature pass a law that would change the statute regarding deceased candidates. Current law discards votes for deceased candidates. A revision in the law would allow those votes to count, and if the deceased candidate gets the most votes, a special election would be called.  “Ideally that would have been my preference because it would have been a nice way to pay tribute to (Blumer’s) service to Framingham,” Spilka said. “And then to allow the people of the district to have a thoughtful process…in picking the nominee for all parties involved.”  Spilka, who is vice chairman of the elections committee, said there is about “zero likelihood” of the Legislature changing the election law by Nov. 7.  “Unfortunately there really is not time, I don’t think, to do that,” she said.  What is obvious is that Democrats are still reeling from losing one of their own.  “This is kind of a weird time,” said Democratic Town Committee member and former Town Meeting moderator Gerry Desilets outside Blumer’s funeral service at Temple Beth Am. “Looking around here I could name 10 people who want that seat.”  “The passing of Deb Blumer is something so sad and emotional for all of us, and then on top of it to deal with (an election),” Spilka said. “I think Debby herself would want us to deal with it and make sure the best candidate wins.”  The Republicans are not going to sit by and let Democrats sort the matter out themselves.  “We were talking and trying to find people who might be interested in running,” said Ed McGrath, chairman of the Framingham Republican Town Committee.  McGrath said at least two local Republicans were interested in the seat. Jim Rizoli, who did not receive enough right-in votes in the Republican primary to get on the November ballot, asked a reporter outside the funeral if he thought “there will be some debates now.”  Ritchie, who said he is interested in running, said the short campaign could open the door, “giving a candidate like Jim Rizoli or a Republican the opportunity they might otherwise not have had.”  Spilka said she knows there are many people interested in running, and it might be possible for some consensus on candidates through an informal caucus and then organize a public forum.  Sannicandro said it is important for local Democrats to unify.  “We need to move ahead with one person,” he said. “I was close to Debby, and I feel strongly to get someone with the same type of progressive views as Debby.”  (Rob Haneisen can be reached at rhaneis@cnc.com or 508-626-3882.)

  7. I had the pleasure of serving in the House of Representatives with Debby.  Our friendship continued after I left there in 2002, and we worked on many issues together.  Many focus on her support of public education–a deserved tribute, especially given her vocal criticism of efforts to drain funds from traditional public schools for charter schools.  But for me Debby will be remembered for the work she did with the immigrant community in Framingham–and immigrants across the Commonwealth.  She received a touching award from the Mass. Alliance of Portuguese Speakers earlier this year–and she continued until the day she passed to be their voice, as well as the voice of so many others, in the legislature. 

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    Unfortunately, there are too few of us who serve in government that speak up for those communities that are the election-year whipping boys.  Immigrants, undocumented and otherwise, are such a group.  Like many communities with growing immigrant populations in which I work, Framingham has seen its share of the anti-immigrant backlash.  She never, ever, ever compromised her belief that these persons were as human as the rest of us, and as such, deserving of respect in life and in law.  Her classiness is best remembered for me in her gutsy and, to some, quite controversial embrace of these embattled “others”, our immigrant brethren.  I am heartbroken by your too-early exit, Debby.  Please pray for us.

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