Mr. Pumphrey challenged us to do better

Chester Pumphrey died a few weeks ago. I don’t think many people knew about his death. When I couldn’t learn about memorial arrangements for him, I thought he had probably donated his body to science, and he had.

Chester and I knew each other through my work and my volunteering efforts. We didn’t always agree, but I believe we respected each other.

His daughter, Barbara Lee Edmonds of Florida, came into the DAR to inquire about publishing an obituary and my coworkers got us together. I told her I’d been wanting to write a column about her dad. I asked her to contribute names of his friends I might interview and I added, “please share your thoughts about your dad.”

I received an email from her this week. Any parent would be proud to have a child share the things Barbara said. She tells her dad’s story much better than I could. Her words are filled with love and understanding. She tells us about the years before many of us knew him.

Barbara’s email said, “How do you summarize a life? Overcoming challenges, seizing opportunities and regrets for things done and undone, we’ve all experienced them. What occurred between Aug. 27, 1934 and July 22, 2020 set an example for generations.” Chester was born to Robert Pumphrey and Ruby Louise Everett near Broseley, Missouri. He graduated Fisk High School and entered the Army on Aug. 18, 1954, and he married Sumiko Sakumoto of Keelong Formosa on Jan. 17, 1958.

His children: Barbara Lee Edmonds was born at Chelsea Naval Hospital, Boston; Linda Marie Henderson was born in Fort Bliss, Texas; Teresa Louise Rayner and Kenneth Ray Pumphrey were born in Fort Benning, Georgia. As an enlisted serviceman with a family, he traveled the world. Barbara recalls “the climb to the top of the Tower of Pisa. An exciting gondola ride in Venice took us to a glassworks shop. We camped and toured Paris, France, Spain and Switzerland while stationed at Geisen, Germany.”

Before his second tour of duty to Okinawa, Japan, Barbara said, “our family of six visited PB and Fisk, reuniting with the Pumphrey clan. Dad was pleased to show us around Ash Hill Township and related many memories. That’s when I found out his family called him ‘Chet.’ As a result of his childhood experiences he was determined to be a good provider for his family. This above all was his life’s mission.” She recalls, he “had various interests and pursued many hobbies. He was willing to teach and share knowledge with the next generation.

Self-taught, he instructed us on darkroom photographic processing black and white, 35 mm film, handcrafting household furniture including a wood bunk bed designed without nails, welding and crafts including poured ceramics. It was not all bookwork, with introduction to nuances of bowling, chess and badminton. He volunteered with military youth services, making targets and teaching archery. When my husband and I were dating, dad provided hands-on demonstration of lathe work. When Mike expressed interest, dad handed him a thick operating manual with instructions to study.”

In 1978, Chester was honorably discharged 12 days short of 23 years in the armed services. His DD-214 lists the Bronze Star Medal (BSM) among other commendations and awards, Barbara shared. “Dad’s education continued into civilian life, attending Columbus State University. He got a kick out of learning to scuba dive at CSU. An avid reader, he taught himself PC DOS coding. To the end he believed the Windows operating system was something ‘they’ did to negate his efforts. Kinda funny really. Dad continued to work on the family genealogy, tracing back to England. Illness and death places strains on a marriage. A 29-year marriage ended in divorce after son Kenneth was killed by a drunk driver in 1985.”

She remembers her dad relocating to Poplar Bluff and meeting and marrying a talented woman named Phyllis Crownover. She also recalls the marriage ending in divorce. Chester would always say he’s from the “show me” state and if you know how to do something, show him. Don’t just talk about it. “If you feel raising responsible, law-abiding adults is a worthy goal, then our parents succeeded,” Barbara said.

“For the 22 people who voted for him for the at-large City Council seat, thank you,” Barbara said. “He felt disappointment in his inability to articulate his position and solutions to issues. Chester felt strongly something needed to be done and was willing to work through the process.”

MedCure organization fulfilled his final wishes to donate his body to science, his daughter said. Once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, Chester will be interred with full military honors. His remains are to be placed at Fort Benning Cemetery, Georgia, with Kenneth, his son, who died at 16 years of age.

That, readers, is a better column about the man Chester Pumphrey than I could ever hope to write. Thank you Chester for returning to your home and challenging us, and thank Barbara Lee Edmonds for telling your dad’s story before he returned to Poplar Bluff.

Barbara Ann Horton is a staff writer for the Daily American Republic. She can be reached at bhorton.dar@gmail.com.