Helga Blum Baer

Helga Blum Baer, 88, a longtime resident of Fayetteville who was active in the community for decades passed away on Sunday, December 22, 2019 at Carolina Highlands in Fayetteville.

Helga was born March 26, 1931 in Frankfurt, Germany to the late Rosy Ackermann and Ernest Blum. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Ervin Baer.

After being born in Frankfurt, Germany, she escaped with her parents from Nazi Germany and, after a long journey, during which they had to move to Rome and then to Havana, they settled in Birmingham, Alabama. She attended Birmingham Southern College and graduated from the University of Alabama. She and Ervin Baer were married in 1953. After his service as a lawyer in the U.S. Army, they lived and raised their family in Fayetteville where her husband established his law practice, Butler, High & Baer. Helga received her Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling from N.C. State University. She then worked both at the Cumberland County Mental Health Center and the Cumberland County School System as a school psychologist for many years. She and her husband were long-time members of Beth Israel Congregation.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, December 24, 2019 at 10:00 am at Beth Israel Synagogue. Burial will follow in Cross Creek Cemetery.

Helga is survived by her sons, Don Baer and wife Nancy Bard of Washington, DC; Bruce Baer and wife Marcy of Denver, Colorado; daughter, Lee Anne Baer and husband Mark Gurvitz of New York; grandchildren, Rachael Baer, Nicholas Baer, Adam Baer, and Jeremy Gurvitz.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Cumberland Community Foundation, 308 Green St. Fayetteville, NC 28301 or Hillel at University of North Carolina, 210 West Cameron Avenue Chapel Hill, NC 27516.

Online condolences may be made to http://www.jerniganwarren.com

Arrangements by Jernigan-Warren Funeral Home, 545 Ramsey St. Fayetteville, NC 28301.

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