Edward Eugene Bumgarner

Edward Eugene Bumgarner, age 89, of 6443 Whitmire Highway, passed away on Monday, December 23, 2013 at the home of his son, Glenn Bumgarner.
He was born in Caldwell County, North Carolina. He moved to Whitmire when his dad set up a saw mill in the area. He was the son of Grover Glenn an Annie Lee Bumgarner.
He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Glenn and Donna Bumgarner; his grandchildren Michelle Moore and her husband Rich; Michael Bumgarner and his girlfriend Stacey Zobel; and Jeremy Bumgarner and his girlfriend Cindy Burton; and his sisters, Lucy Bumgarner Eaves and Betty Jo Bumgarner Sims.
He was called home to join his wife of 70 years, Vivian Bumgarner; his son and daughter-in-law Ronnie and Brenda Bumganer; his brothers, Donald Keller, Harold Bumgarner, and Carl Bumgarner; and his sister Loiuse Eaves.
He was the oldest active member of Bethesda Baptist Church, where he served as an usher, deacon, and training union director. He loved his family and his church family. He was a dedicated man. He loved to read his Bible at night. As a young man he worked with his father in the family saw mill until he went to work at J.P. Stevens.
He had a soft spot in his heart for animals, and he especially enjoyed filling the bird feeder and watching the birds. He loved to sit on the porch in the evenings and watch the cars and trucks going up and down the road. He also loved to watch the motorcycles as they came by. He enjoyed taking walks in the woods with his grandchildren. He was always a teacher; he taught his wife to drive and he taught his grandchildren how to recognize the different trees by the bark. He enjoyed watching the Atlanta Braves and the Washington Redskins on the television, but he was quick to flip the channel when they played a losing game. He was “Papa” to many people.
He was a disabled veteran of World War II and he won the Purple Heart for wounds he received in St. Lo France in 1943. He was a member of American Legion Post 70 in Whitmire.
The memorial service will be held Friday, December 27, 2013, at 2:00 p.m. in First Baptist Church in Whitmire. The family will receive friends on Thursday, December 26, 2013, from 7:00 to 9:00 P.M.
The family is at the home of Glenn and Donna Bumgarner of Coleman Aughtry Road, Whitmire, SC 29178. Memorials may be made to Bethesda Baptist Church. Condolences can be expressed online at www.grayfuneralhome.com .