Sauk City -- Ewald J. Blum (Pete) , 92, of Sauk City, passed away peacefully on Friday, May 29, 2009 at home with family at his bedside. He died just about half a block from the place of his birth.

Pete was born December 6, 1916 in Sauk City to Carl and Magdalena (Fassbender). A graduate of St. Aloysius grade school and Sauk City high school, he went on to attend the University of Wisconsin's School of Commerce. After graduating from UW, he served in the Army during World War II with Company C, the 594th Boat and Shore Regiment, in the Pacific arena. After the war, he had a long career with the State of Wisconsin Department of Revenue where he served as assessor of income for the Milwaukee office, and later as chief of the field audit division in Madison until his retirement in 1982.

During his retirement, Pete served on the Sauk County board of supervisors for eight years. His youthful love of libraries continued with him his entire life, such that he served on both the Sauk City and Sauk County library boards, as well as the South Central library association. A longtime member of the Sauk Prairie Optimists club, Pete was a founding member of the Sauk Prairie adult tennis league in 1974. He continued playing the sport he loved well into his 80s, though as recently as his 90th birthday party he felt he was ready to make a comeback.

Pete was also noted for his remarkable woodworking skills, designing and building furniture inspired by 17th and 18th century France and England, as well as colonial America: highboys, armoires, grandfather clocks, tables and chairs, cabinetry. Many of his pieces were crafted specifically for friends and family, and he also donated many works to charitable causes over the years. A small sample of his work was shown in a group show at the River Arts Center Gallery in 2006.

In addition to his woodworking and tennis, Pete had many other interests: bridge, crossword and double acrostic puzzles, Strauss waltzes and melancholic zither music, European travel, the family dogs, Jeopardy, and (especially) gin martinis. A little known fact is that he was a co-founder of Blumcot Day, with his longtime friend and Sauk City native, Harry Decot, which is celebrated on December 5, the day between their two birthdays.

Pete is survived by his wife, Sarah (Torrence), who he married on December 31, 1948. He is also survived by their four children--John of Milwaukee; David (Vanessa) of Manassas, Virginia; Martha (Scott) Lindstrom of Madison; and Mary of Hartland--as well as six grandchildren, Joe (Sara) Blum, Zachary Blum, Timothy Blum, Luke Blum, Hannah Blum, and Sara and Andrew Lindstrom. He is preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Irene Wildner.

All are welcome to attend a visitation on Wednesday, June 3, from 5 - 8 p.m., at the Hooverson Funeral Home, 251 Water Street, Sauk City. The funeral will be held at St. Norbert's Church, Roxbury, on Thursday, June 4, 10:30 a.m. A luncheon will follow at the Dorf Haus, also in Roxbury.

The family extends their deepest gratitude to doctors Maribeth Baker and Barkley Schultz, caregivers Barbara Buckley and Nancy Miller, Don and Eileen Gattshall, Father Laverne Meier, and the nurses and staff of Home Health United hospice.

In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Sauk City library or Home Health United Hospice Services of Prairie du Sac would be appreciated greatly.