Gertrude Mumy

Gertrude Mumy, who everyone knew as Gert, was a very strong, caring woman who was devoted to her family and friends. She enjoyed nature, wildlife, traveling and being competitive. Gert was both blessed by and a blessing to those she loved.

Gert's parent's emigrated from the Netherlands. Her father J.C. Moerman was orphaned as a boy, later training as a baker and immigrating to Canada to open a bakery. Later his fiancée, Martha Vanderberg immigrated to the U.S. and lived in Chicago. In 1916, they moved to the east side of Kalamazoo among Dutch cousins and it was was here that they welcomed the birth of their daughter, Gertrude, on November 1, 1919.

Gert had a large, close-knit family; she was the fifth of eight children. It was a loud, rowdy, messy family; 8 kids, 1 dog, 3 bedrooms and one bath. Gert was the "neat-nick", always cleaning up after everyone. Legend has it she once threw her sister Hon's clothes in the chicken coop just to make a point. They grew up during the depression and there was very little money. Gert shared stories about swimming in Eagle Lake and chasing the ice truck down the street for ice chips as entertainment.

Gert loved both her parent's dearly. As a young woman, she aspired to be more like her mother whom she considered to be genteel and more sophisticated than her father. She felt she was more like "Pa", who she thought of as "rough" and not as refined, though she always said he was very good to her. Gert attended Kalamazoo Central High school through the 11th grade. She then went to live with her sister and enrolled in beauty school, which her brother, Rene, helped her finance. She received her Cosmetology license in 1939. Over the years, Gert worked as a beautician, and at various places in the area, including Sutherland Paper Mill, Gibson Guitar and the Kalamazoo County Health Department. She retired from the health department in 1980.

When Gert was in her early 20s, she married her first husband, Leon B. Tompkins, on July 26, 1941. During their first years of marriage, Leon served as an officer in the army and was stationed in Louisiana and Texas where Gert was able to join him before he was shipped overseas. Gert and Leon spent 35 great years together, raising their three daughters, Jari, Kay and Lory, and sharing many wonderful memories as a family. They loved the outdoors and spent their leisure time on lakes and beaches and going camping and fishing. Gert enjoyed being in the sun, walking beaches, shelling and sun-bathing. She also loved wildlife, watching the deer, turkey's and birds in her field. Over the years the family had many pets, including cats, horses, birds, dogs, and a duck named Donald with whom Gertrude had a love/hate relationship. Donald was known to chase Gert from the house to the garage, nipping her heels.

For Gert, family was undoubtedly the greatest source of happiness in her life. Aside from her children and grandchildren, she fostered close relationships with her parents, siblings, nieces and nephews throughout her life. In fact, her home was most often the “hub” for family gatherings when she and her siblings were raising their children. Gert lost her beloved husband Leon, in 1976. She married her friend Roscoe Mumy in 1981, and they enjoyed traveling in their motor home, going to horse shows and the county fair and hosting annual Christmas parties with the extended Mumy family. They shared 19 years together before his passing in 2000.

Besides being a devoted wife, mother and grandmother, Gertrude was also a devout Christian and faithful member of Bethel Reformed Church for many years. Church was very important to her and she was active in many church activities. She was also involved with the VFW auxillary after the war.

In her retirement years and during her marriage to Ross, Gert stayed active pursuing many of her favorite pastimes. They enjoyed traveling, bowling, golf and playing cards together. Gertrude was known for her competitiveness and wasn’t one who liked to lose. It seemed she often had her own system of scoring when it came to golf, and sometimes cards. Her feistiness paid off in bowling as she was known as the top senior bowler in her league on many occasions. With a love for the outdoors, Gert was always happy when tending to her garden or doing some yard work. Bounty from her garden was often canned, along with beans, peaches, spaghetti sauce and her infamous grape jelly. She was known for her beautiful flower gardens and her green thumb, and she often shared her flowers with her friends. Spending time with her precious grandchildren and great grandchildren, whom she adored was always a joy for Gert. Whenever she had a willing listener, she couldn’t help but boast about them.

Gert was a tough lady, very strong-willed and resilient. She mowed her own lawn, shoveled her own driveway, walked her field, played golf and bowled until she was 86. Just 2 weeks before the incident that marked the decline of her health, she was the top female bowler in a senior championship. Gert's most famous sayings were "Put on your face" and “Everything is fine, real fine” – no matter what came her way. Gert was well loved by her family, friends, and caregivers and was always pleasant, kind and complimentary, particularly in her later years. She will be sadly missed but will live on in her family's hearts.

Gertrude (Moerman) Tompkins Mumy, age 88, of Kalamazoo, MI, made her transition on Friday, February 8, 2008. Members of her family include a sister, Martha Schwennesen; her children: Kay Taylor, Jari and her husband, Dennis, Kral; stepchildren: Ken and his wife, Mary Ellen, Mumy, Craig and his wife, Deb, Mumy, Scott and his wife, Connie, Mumy and Pam and her husband, Guy, Martin. Other members of her family include 15 grandchildren: Amy Taylor Johnson, Jennifer Taylor Johnson, Kim Clark Dangremond, Megan, Kaitlin, Andrew Kral, Lisa Smith, Michelle Sierakowski, Kendal Cronkhite, Travis, Brett, Jordan, Clayton and K.C Mumy, Jessica and Ross Martin; and 9 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by two husbands: Leon B. Tompkins and Roscoe A. Mumy; a daughter, Lory Clark; a son-in-law John Clark; and six brothers and sisters.

Learn more about Gertrude, view her Life Story film, and visit with her family and friends on Wednesday, February 13, from 4-7 p.m. at the Life Story Funeral Home, 5975 Lovers Lane, Portage. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, February 14, at the Bethel Reformed Church, 1003 Gayle Avenue, Kalamazoo. Please visit Gertrude’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you may share a memory or photo with her family or sign her online guest book before coming to the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to Bethel Reformed Church or Hospice Care of SW Michigan.