Members of Congress offered their sympathies Monday after Sen. Dianne Feinstein said her husband, Richard Blum, had died at home after a long battle with cancer.
He was 86.
“My heart is broken today,” Ms. Feinstein, California Democrat, said in a statement obtained by KTVU. “My husband was my partner and best friend for more than 40 years. He was by my side for the good times and for the challenges. I am going to miss him terribly.”
Mr. Blum was chairman of Blum Capital Partners, an equity investment management firm. He also was known for his work on behalf of the American Himalayan Foundation to build hospitals and schools in Nepal and Tibet and other philanthropic causes.
“Paul and I are heartbroken to learn of the passing of our dear friend, a devoted philanthropist and a proud San Franciscan, Richard Blum,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on behalf of herself and her husband. “Officially, it is with great appreciation for Richard’s many contributions that I send condolences from his many friends in the Congress. Personally, this is a day of great sadness for Paul and me, after sharing decades of warm friendship with him and Dianne.”
Sen. Chris Coons, Delaware Democrat, honored Mr. Blum’s work at the Blum Center for Developing Economies and its work to secure $650 million in funding to address global poverty through its ‘Big Ideas’ contest.
“Richard said he set out to create a ‘do tank,’ not a ‘think tank,’ and his success in doing so ensures that his legacy will far outlive him,” Mr. Coons said. “May his memory be a blessing for Dianne and his three daughters.”
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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