Mildred P. Blas

Mildred P. Blas, 90, of Kingston, died Monday, September 11, 2017 at Denver Health Medical Center. Born in Astoria, NY, she was a daughter of the late Ruevan & Helen Sobel Posner. Growing up, she lived with her family behind their shoe store in Astoria. She attended a secretarial high school, where she learned short-hand, among other studies. She often went ballroom dancing, which lead her to meet Seymour Blas in 1947. They married March 2, 1948, and began to build their family of 6 children. The family moved to Tivoli, NY in 1956. In 1958, they moved to Kingston and opened Kingston Linoleum and Carpet, where she was bookkeeper until 1963. She later worked for Ulster County Social Services until her retirement in 1993. In 1989 she participated in Volunteers for Israel for 6 months, overcoming one of her most personal challenges. Mildred was the matriarch of her family. Like "a mother lion protecting her cubs", family was the most important part of her life. She had a reputation in the community as a very sweet person, always willing to help. She was always most comfortable in her own home, surrounded by her loved ones. Mildred is survived by five children, Bryan Blas of Kingston, Howard Blas and his wife Barbara of Kingston, Clifford Blas of Kingston, Helen Blas-Wilson and her husband Jim of Petuluma, CA, JoEllen Blas of Kingston, eight grandchildren, Jessica, Shaina, Rebecca, Russell, Rosamond, Kaylah, Devon and Natasha, three great grandchildren, Ayellet, Gavriel and Mira. Several nieces and nephews also survive. In addition to her parents, Mildred was predeceased by her husband Seymour, who passed in 1978, her daughter, Rose Blas, her sister, Sylvia Quintman and her brothers, Harry Posner and Joey Posner. A Funeral Service will be held on Thursday, September 14, 2017 at the Simpson-Gaus Funeral Home, 411 Albany Ave at 11:00 am with Rabbi Yitzchok Hecht of Congregation Agudas Achim, officiating. Interment will follow in Montrepose Cemetery. The family requests that memorial donations be made to Volunteers for Israel, 330 West 42nd Street, Suite 1618, New York, NY 10036.