Joan Feinblum, USBC Hall-of-Famer, Dies at 81

Joan Feinblum, who was inducted into the United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame last year, died Monday. She was 81.

Feinblum, of Santa Rosa, Calif., dedicated more than five decades of service to bowling at the local, state and national levels, including four years of work on the committees and task forces that helped develop USBC.

Feinblum spent more than a decade on the Women's International Bowling Congress Board of Directors, and most recently served as chairperson of the USBC Nominating Committee and the USBC Hall of Fame Committee.

"I stand here humbled and grateful and I just can't believe it," Feinblum said at last year's USBC Hall of Fame inductions. "What a privilege it is to be inducted. This isn't about me. It's about the passion of all those who work and volunteer in this industry. I know that bowling has a big future."

Feinblum caught the attention of WIBC officials through her behind-the-scenes activities with the Redwood Empire and California Women's Bowling Associations, an organization for which she later served as director. After serving as president of both organizations, she was elected a WIBC director in 1994 and served as a Vice President for five years (1999-2004).

In 1988, while serving California as a mental health administrator, she was honored with an Outstanding Manager Award - a tribute to her experience as a physical education instructor and teacher of emotionally disturbed children.

Feinblum's ability on the lanes became evident in 1965, when she won the Santa Rosa Women's Bowling Association Bowler of the Year award. A longtime member of the Bowling Writers Association of America as well as the National Women Bowling Writers, Feinblum has earned the NWBW Dudley Peebles Photography Award as well as the NWBA Jo Ettein Leiber Award.

In addition to being a member of the USBC Hall of Fame, Feinblum was also inducted into the California WBA and the Redwood Empire WBA Halls of Fame.

Services are pending.

About the United States Bowling Congress: The United States Bowling Congress serves as the national governing body for the sport. USBC is a membership organization that provides standardized rules, regulations and benefits to make bowling fair and fun for everyone. For information, to go is http://www.BOWL.com.