Hilde E.E. (Ober-Bloebaum) Liu

Saratoga Springs, NY - Hilde E. E. (Ober-Bloebaum) Liu was an extraordinary woman and mother, who lived an extraordinary life. She gave of herself so that her family and friends would be comfortable and believed in being useful while having fun along the way. She was loving, kind, intelligent, courageous, talented, and creative, and a life-long pet owner…a woman who could do practically anything.

She was born in a beloved farmhouse in the hamlet of Wehrendorf, Germany on June 10, 1940 to Luise (Buhrmann) and Heinrich Ober-Bloebaum. Her favorite memories were spending time with her sisters and numerous cousins in and around Bad Essen, Germany. She studied piano, was confirmed in the Lutheran Church, had a wanderlust for bicycle travel at a young age, and graduated from Hoche Schule in Osnabruck.

As a young adult, she lived with her sister Ilse and studied in Bonn, Germany and then attended Hammersmith College in London, England. After winning a college lottery for a trip to America, she ventured to New York City and decided to stay, eventually becoming a citizen. She worked at Lufthansa Airlines, Chock Full of Nuts Coffee shop, and studied at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology). After graduating, she became a successful textile designer for Burlington Industries and also opened a small boutique called The Blue Rooster Workshop in NYC.

In 1965, she married violin and bow maker, Lloyd Liu, with whom she had two children, Phillip and Anna. The family moved to Bennington, Vermont in 1972, where she raised her children and did design work for magazines, including: Better Homes & Gardens, Cosmopolitan, and Vogue. She published the Patchwork Primer, worked with Distlefink Designs, and custom work. One of her quilts is in the Bennington Museum collection.

Hilde was an active participant in town life as she attended school board and town meetings relentlessly, was a den mother for the boy scouts, a member of the Old First Church, a member of the Garden Club of America, taught sewing and quilting lessons, and volunteered for various causes including the Cancer Society. Her career and life pivoted with a divorce in 1981. Once again, she opened up The Blue Rooster Workshop where she sold fabrics, crafts, toys, and doll house miniatures. After 5 years she decided to sell the store and become a realtor for Hoistington Realty, where she helped clients find their forever homes and became a prolific reproduction doll maker.

Her closest friends and family continued to fill her life with joy when she moved to Cambridge, New York in 1997. Phillip continuously travelled home from his adventurous life to celebrate holidays or help out. In 1998, Anna, her husband Tom Gorman and grandson, baby Paul, joined her in Cambridge after living in Los Angeles. In 2000, Henry, a second grandson was born. “Oma”, as she is known to friends in Cambridge, was an instrumental part of her grandson's lives - taking great care of them and spurring a love of games and Lego building! Laughter, music, “Yahtzee!”, and the smell of good food could always be found at her home!

On September 11, 2025, Oma passed away after battling emphysema and heart conditions. She was a breast cancer survivor. She is predeceased by her parents Heinrich and Luise Ober-Bloebaum, ex-husband Lloyd Liu (2020), sisters Marie-Luise Ober-Bloebaum (2024), and Christa Ober-Bloebaum (2025), and Thomas Gorman (2014), son-in-law.

She is survived by Ilse Nguyen/sister, Phillip Liu/son, Anna Liu-Gorman/daughter, Paul Liu-Gorman/grandson and Rhilynn Ogilvie/fiancé, and Henry Liu-Gorman/grandson.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Hilde E.E. (Ober-Bloebaum) Liu, please visit our floral store.