Joseph (Joe) Kelly Blum Jr., 93, passed away Thursday, July 4, 2019 in Clermont, Florida following a brief illness.

Joe was pre-deceased by his father Joseph Kelly Sr., mother Merle Wagoner Blum, sister Adele Blum and brother John Monroe Blum.  He leaves behind his wife of 41 years, Jan Blum, his children; Elizabeth Jo Blum, Gloria White, Cindy Glaze, Jeffrey (Donna) Glaze, grandchildren; Karson Walker, Cherish Glaze, and great-granddaughter Cambria, Joshua (Charlotte) Glaze, great-grandchildren; Lilly and Caleb, brothers; Jackson Blum, Robert Blum and their families.

Joe was born and raised in Whitehead, North Carolina.  At the outbreak of WWII Joseph (Joe) Blum wanted to join the fight.  He ran away from home a total of three times. The first two times he wanted to join the Army;  however, upon seeing a group of marching Marines he went home knowing he wanted to be a Marine.  The third time he ran away to join the Marines with a forged birth certificate in hand, to hide the fact he was only 15.  The Marine Corps quickly discovered his age and contacted his parents who signed him over and said "if he wants to go that bad, let him go".

Joe went to boot camp in Parris Island, South Carolina and later trained in San Diego, California before deployment to the Pacific Theater with the 5 ^th Division Marines. After seeing action with the artillery, he wanted to contribute on the front lines and transferred to the 1 ^st Division infantry where fought in the battle of Okinawa.

After the war, while serving with the famed China Marines; he assisted with the removal of Japanese personnel from China.

Joe spent most of his professional career with the Glenn L. Martin Co., which became Martin-Marietta then Lockheed Martin Corporation.  He supported projects for the military and NASA during his lengthy career, working in Baltimore, Maryland, Orlando, Florida, Germany, Switzerland and returning to Florida where he retired in 1993.

Throughout Joe's life he found enjoyment in traveling and learning everything he could.  He traveled to every state with the exception of Alaska and Michigan and returned to Germany in retirement.  Even with all of his travel he never lost love for the Blue Ridge mountains which he visited on an annual basis to visit with family and friends from his youth. Joe Blum held a Bachelor's degree in Business Management from Florida Southern University and a Master's degree from Troy University in Troy, Alabama.

Joe remained an active member in his local Kiwanis club and the First Baptist Church of Clermont in Clermont, Florida until his passing.

A funeral service will be held July 8 ^th at the First Baptist Church of Clermont in Clermont Florida and burial at Florida National Cemetery on July 9 ^th in Bushnell, Florida.