Alma May Blair, 85, Forked River

Alma May Blair, 85, formerly of Forked River, was an active resident of Lacey Township.

Blair died on February 21, 2011 at Hamilton Place at the Pines at Whiting.

In 1990, Blair became the first volunteer chairman of the Lacey Food Bank, according the website.

Senator Christopher Connors got to know Blair when he was mayor of Lacey Township.

Blair was a "forceful and dynamic voice for seniors, not only in Lacey, but also in Ocean County as a whole," Connors said.

He said he was privileged to work with her when she was on the Senior Advisory Committee and that she was active in the AARP.

"She was a very strongly constituted individual, a very forceful advocate for seniors," Connors said. 

He also noted her work with the Juvenile Conference Committee as an example of her broad ranging community service and said she was a "strong voice of compassion for veterans" because of her late husband's military service. 

"She was just a remarkable lady," Connors said.

Lacey Township Municipal Clerk Veronica Laureigh met Blair when she was a teenager and found her intimidating but said, "She was always making sure the rights of seniors were being addressed." 

"She was a very active, vocal member of the community," said Laureigh.

Blair was a communicant of St. Pius X RC Church, Forked River, until she went to live with her daughter in Medford, a Eucharistic minister there said. She described the homebound woman she brought communion to as "feisty."

According to Blair’s obituary, she was past president of the Lacey Seniors, past president of the Lacey AARP, and founding member and past secretary and chairperson of the Lacey Juvenile Conference Committee for 24 years.  

Blair was also a member of the Lacey Garden Club, the Telephone Pioneers of America, the Lacey Senior Advisory Committee for 23 years, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla's #78 & 79 of Forked River, the Senior Advisory Committee of Ocean County for 16 years, the Hungarian Club of Whiting, the Recreation Committee of Forked River, and the American Disability Act Committee of Forked River.

Blair was born in Newark and was formerly of Denville. She was a summer and weekend resident of Forked River from 1952 to 1975 when she moved there permanently until 2004. She then moved to Medford.

Blair was predeceased by her husband Frank J. in 2001 and is survived by a daughter, Shirleyann and her husband Thomas Livesey of Medford, a daughter Judith May and her husband Chris Flores of Placentia, CA; a son, Frank A.J. and his wife Hollie Blair of Henderson, NV, six grandchildren and four great grandchildren.