Hermine Blau, a Denver resident who became a commercial real estate investor late in life and always fed everyone in her ever-expanding orbit, passed away on Jan. 16 after a lengthy struggle with cancer. She was 74.
Rabbis Tzvi Steinberg and Joel Unger officiated at the Jan. 17 service at Zera Abraham. Burial followed at Rose Hill Cemetery. Shalom Funeral Service made the arrangements.
“It’s hard to forget a tiny little French woman who was so much larger than life,” her oldest son Shimon said at the service. “She touched so many lives.”
Mrs. Blau was born on Oct. 7, 1946 in Nice, France. The family hid inside the apartment through WW II.
She moved to New York City by herself in the 1970s and studied social work at Queens College.
According to most accounts, Hermine went on a blind date with George Blau while he was in New York for a wedding.
Unimpressed, Hermine agreed to visit Denver at George’s invitation and enjoyed a flurry of activities, including horseback riding in the mountains. They were engaged a few weeks later.
“It was a rare privilege to observe the love between George and Hermine,” Unger said at the service. “There was nothing that Hermine wouldn’t do to make life better for George.”
Mrs. Blau was successful in the real estate industry. “She could quickly determine whether a property made sense as a long-term asset,” said commercial real estate broker Justin Krieger.
An advocate of local government who opposed proposed zoning changes allowing for the development of large apartment complexes, she fought to maintain the West Side as a single-family home neighborhood.
Mrs. Blau, an excellent cook whose kokosh cake was her signature pastry, regularly hosted Jewish guests from all over Denver for Shabbat.
A benefactor of Hillel Academy and multiple Jewish organizations, she also supported Denver Botanic Gardens, the Denver Zoo and Denver Art Museum.
Hermine Blau is survived by her husband George Blau; sons Shimon (fiancée Chana Leah) and Reuven (Sara) and daughter Judy; grandson Noam; brother Ouri Baruch.
Contributions may be made to Hillel Academy, Magen David Adom, the Denver Zoo or Denver Botanic Gardens.
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