Reggi Bleemer Obituary (2019) - Cherry Hill, New Jersey

Reggi Bleemer, formerly of Cranford, N.J., passed away in Voorhees, N.J., on Oct. 21, 2019. Born in Brooklyn in 1929 to Leo and Sophie Springer, Reggi graduated from Prospect Heights High School. She attended Brooklyn College and The New School while working for Maidenform Bra Co. and Ceil Chapman, a noted 1950s New York dress designer. In that job she met notables like Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Wilding, Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, Marilyn Monroe, Joan Crawford, Paulette Goddard and others. She married Mel Bleemer in 1956 and moved to North Bergen where her son Russell Eric was born. They then purchased a home in Cranford where daughter Judith Erica was born. She lived there for more than 50 years. She had many local interests and was a member of the League of Women Voters for 35 years where she was one of the editors of the Know Your Town guide to Cranford. She also served as a mentor in the Homeless Intervention Program (HIP) for single women who are adrift. She was also a member of the board of Friends of the Cranford Library for 12 years serving as treasurer, recording secretary, program chair and publicity chair. She was active in book delivery to Cranford's senior housing site. She was a leader in the Cranford group, Caregivers of Older People, for decades. Her favorite activity was Bookmark, a book club she was part of for more than 25 years. In addition to her son and daughter, she also leaves her grandsons Ryan and Justin, son-in-law Dr. Donald Baker, and daughter-in-law Nancy Rine. She was predeceased by her most precious husband Melvin, who crowned her life with his wit and wisdom, to whom she was married for nearly 62 years. Graveside services are Thursday at 11:00 am at Mt. Lebanon Cemetery, (Block 10) Iselin, N.J. Shiva will be observed at the home of Judy & Don Baker on Thursday from 2:30 pm to 8:00 pm with Minyan at 7:00 pm, Friday from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm and Saturday from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Contributions can be made to the Friends of the Cranford Library, cranfordlibrary.org