Unfortunately all news about members is not joyful. With this issue we must note the recent passing of a truly stellar automotive historian, Stuart R Blond (SAH# 952). His widow and life’s partner for 40 of his 72 years, Stella Pyrtek-Blond, told me the leukemia from which he’d been in remission returned with a vengeance and claimed him just last month on February 17th.
Blond was the longtime editor of the Packard Club’s Cormorant quarterly publication. That meant he was ever and always chasing history, seeking out photos and information for articles. But his biggest coup was undoubtedly persuading the reluctant James J Nance to sit down and talk with him at length.
Nance had been the executive at the head of Studebaker-Packard Corp during a time Nance would rather have forgotten about. Blond had delved into facts and information and sourced photographs such that Nance finally agreed to talk with him.
Stuart had arrived at Nance’s house driving his carnation and white 1956 Packard 400 and recalled that the expression on Nance’s face as he opened the door to Stuart’s knock and saw the car behind his guest was “priceless.” The two men connected enabling Blond to subsequently write and publish Spellbinder, The Life and Times of James J Nance. The two-volume biography of Nance was truly a feat as no one previously had attempted to record, much less publish, Nance’s history. Stuart had also been successful in getting Nance to attend a Packard national meet where he’d been warmly received by all in attendance.
These words don’t approach the eloquence of those Stuart had written as he remembered fellow SAH member and prior Cormorant editor Richard Langworth (SAH# 80) following Langworth’s passing in February 2025. That said, it is from the heart when I say that Stuart will not be forgotten and he will be missed by all who had the opportunity to know or work with him. (hvh)