Longtime Med School News Office Head Dies

Lillian F. Blacker '52, who served for 14 years as director of the Harvard Medical Area news office, died Wednesday night at Mount Auburn Hospital of a cerebral hemorrhage. She was 59 years old.

At Harvard, Blacker edited the Harvard Medical Area Focus, a weekly publication about the scientific, clinical and program activities of the faculty and students at the Medical School, the School of Public Health and the Dental Schools.

She was also responsible for editing and producing the annual Dean's report, the quarterly magazine Perspectives and other publications.

Blacker was editor of The Belmont Citizen in the early 1970s. After leaving that post for Harvard, she became active in town government, serving as a town meeting member and as the current vice chair of the warrant committee.

She was instrumental in gaining the passage of roll call voting for the town meeting. She also worked for the passage of many of the town's comprehensive planning bylaws.

Blacker had recently been elected a trustee of the Mount Auburn Hospital.

Born in Roxbury, Blacker's earned two degrees from Radcliffe College--a bachelor's in political theory and comparative government and a master of arts in teaching. In the 1950s she worked as a professional for the American Girl Scout Association and the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Boston.

Blacker was active in the civil rights movement as a member of the Belmont Fair Practices Committee, which worked to integrate housing. She also organized an integrated Roxbury-Belmont summer day camp.

She was active in local Democratic politics, the League of Women Voters and efforts for citizen participation in the public schools.

She leaves her husband Edward, three children, and a sister.