Barbara Bollier Blum, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 12, 2023 at her home in Newtown, Connecticut with her daughter, Melanie, by her side.

Barbara was born on September 11, 1938 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, daughter of Gustav W. and Emma E. (Sablofsky) Bollier. She grew up in Stratford, graduated from Stratford High School and received her associate’s degree from Boston University in 1959.

After seeing an advertisement from Trans World Airlines (TWA) seeking “hostesses” in the school newspaper, she was accepted into TWA’s training program and graduated in 1959, embarking on a 34-year-long career traveling the world.

Barbara was fortunate enough to be part of the “Jet Age,” a historic time when jet planes revolutionized the world of air travel. For the majority of her career, her base was the TWA Flight Center, the landmark Terminal 5 at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Barbara was very proud of and fondly reminisced about this glamorous and exciting time in her life; she often said she could not believe she was being paid for a job she loved so dearly. In the air was where Barbara met many of her most cherished and life-long friends.

While vacationing in Aruba, she met and later wed Werner H. Blum in 1967. They continued to travel to far off destinations and resided in Paramaribo, Suriname until the birth of their beloved daughter, Melanie, when they relocated to Newtown, Connecticut in 1972. In 1993 Barbara retired from TWA and focused on pursuits that previously took a back seat to flying, such as gardening and interior design.

She was famous for her lists and left them all over her home to keep her numerous ideas and projects organized. While it was in the bazaar of Cairo she initially savored the thrill of the hunt and developed her knack for haggling, her talents seamlessly transitioned to daily shopping jaunts around Fairfield County.

Barbara enjoyed spending time in Falmouth, Massachusetts and on the Connecticut shoreline with her companion of 25 years, Henry “Hank” I. Steckler. The birth of Barbara’s grandchildren, Colin and Reese, was one of the greatest highlights in her life. She enjoyed spending as much time as possible with her daughter and grandchildren, whether it was playing in the yard, watching their sports games or reviewing their latest school projects.

Barbara was elegant, stylish, fiercely independent, and private. She was well-known for being a night owl and sleeping till noon. Barbara enjoyed entertaining in her home, studying psychology, following the ups and downs of the stock market, and reading the newspaper in its entirety, daily.

Barbara is survived by her daughter, Melanie Blum Verrengia of Fairfield, Connecticut, grandchildren, Colin and Reese, and companion, Hank. The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Eunice Muthiani, who took care of Barbara for the last year of her life.

A Memorial Service will be held September 23 at 1 pm at Southport Congregational Church in Southport, Connecticut. As part of Barbara’s love for her alma mater, Boston University, memorial contributions may be made to the Trustees of Boston University.

Please direct your gift to the College of General Studies Fund in memory of Barbara Bollier Blum. Donations may be made online at www.bu.edu/give or by mail: Boston University Gift Processing, c/o JPMorgan Chase & Co, PO Box 22605, New York, New York 10087-2605.