Claude W. "Dick" Lumpkin

CHATHAM — Claude W. (Dick) Lumpkin, 88, of Chatham passed away on Aug. 14, 2008, at Epoch of Brewster after a lengthy illness. He was supported by a loving family.

He leaves his wife of 65 years, Gladys Goodspeed Lumpkin, his daughter, Donna Lumpkin, both of Chatham, and a sister, Virginia Gross, of Towson, Md.

Born in Baltimore, Md., on Dec. 22, 1919, he was the son of the late Powell and Anna Graul Lumpkin. He graduated from Baltimore City College and worked for the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal Office until he joined the Navy. From 1943 to 1945, he was Chief-in-Charge of the Teletype Section at the Chatham Naval Radio Station (former RCA-MCI Station). This ship-to-shore receiving station played a critical role during World War II, intercepting messages from German ships and submarines and forwarding them to the intelligence headquarters in Washington, D.C. This is when he met and married Gladys Goodspeed.

In 1946, he became associated with Edwin F. Eldredge in the general insurance business. The agency was later incorporated as Eldredge and Lumpkin Insurance Agency, where he was president until his retirement in 1985.

Dick was a member of the First United Methodist Church, St. Martin's Masonic Lodge, the Chatham Historical Society, the American Legion and the Chatham Retired Men's Club, and he was a director of the Chatham Marconi Maritime Center. He was actively working on a U.S. Navy Radio exhibit for the future CMMC Radio Museum. He was formerly on the board of directors of the Chatham Trust Company and the Barnstable County Insurance Company.

He enjoyed reading, boating, traveling, playing games, spending time at the family camp on North Beach and having family gatherings. He really looked forward to his Wednesday card games with the "boys" and Friday night ping-pong games held at his house for many years.

He is also survived by Benjamin K. Goodspeed and his son, Ben, George and Linda Goodspeed Jr. and their son, George III, all of Chatham, and Fred Gross and his son, Fred Gross Jr., of Towson, Md. He was very fond of his sister's grandchildren: Arthur Barnes, Christopher Barnes, Amanda Barnes Kuhl and Hillary Gross, and their families. Other relatives include Helen Goodspeed of Orleans, Leona Goodspeed of West Chatham, Lelia Eldridge of Florida, Carolyn Knott of Maryland, and their families. He was predeceased by a sister-in-law, Allyne Goodspeed, of Chatham, a niece, Carolyn Barnes Clark, of Connecticut, and many cousins in the Baltimore area.

Services will be held at the First United Methodist Church of Chatham at 11 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 22. Burial will be private. There will be no visiting hours at his request. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Chatham Marconi Maritime Center, P.O. Box 421, North Chatham, MA 02650, or to the charity of one's choice.

Nickerson Funeral Home

508-255-0259