Mary Gamble Kump

MARY GAMBLE KUMP, age 92 years, a resident of Elkins, WV and more recently a resident of Valentines Personal Care Home, where she chose to live the last years of her life, departed this life Friday afternoon, April 11, 2008 at the home. Her family appreciates the kind and loving support given to Miss Kump by the caring staff at Valentines. She was born Friday, August 13, 1915 at Elkins, WV the fifth child of the late Edna Scott Kump and Governor Herman Guy Kump. She is survived by a host of loving nieces and nephews. Five of them remain in Elkins; Hazel Kump Burford, Cyrus Kerr Kump, Scottie Roberts Wiest, Heather Roberts Biola and Samuel Kump Roberts. She was the last surviving member of her immediate family. Preceding her in death are her siblings; Cyrus S. Kump, Frances K. Wooddell, Peggy K. Roberts, Elizabeth L. Kump and Benjamin F. Kump. Kump was a graduate of Elkins High School with the Class of 1933 and attended Davis & Elkins College for two years. She earned a Bachelor�s of Science at West Virginia University in 1937 and a Masters and Doctorate of Law at George Washington University in 1955. In the 1930�s she was a West Virginia State 4-H Leader and a member of the Delta Gamma Sorority. She served as a Maid of Honor for the Mountain State Forest Festival in 1934 and had served as Queen of the Apple Blossom Festival at Winchester, VA. In the 1940�s she taught mathematics and science at Elkins High School and Beverly High School, and she taught in Prince George County Maryland to pay her way through law school. After law school, she began teaching for the Defense Department in military dependent schools in 1954. Her assignments took her to Chateauroux, France; Casablanca, Morocco; Bittburg, Germany; Laon-Courvon Air Base, France, Naples, Italy; Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Naha Air Base, Okinawa; and Clark Air Base, Philippines. She retired to live in Elkins at her family home place in 1990. When she returned Kump said in an interview, �The world is a very interesting and a very small place. I�ve been fully around the world three times. Wherever I�ve gone, I�ve found fellow countrymen.� She was active in church and civic organizations after she returned to Elkins. She was a member of the Davis Memorial Presbyterian Church where she served as Elder and Trustee. In 1992, she attended the Democratic National Convention as a West Virginia National Committee Women. For more than fifty years, she was a member of the John Hart Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was a member of Davis & Elkins College Aid and a Member Emerita of the American Association of University Women. She served as a volunteer at the Davis Memorial Hospital, and she taught Bible School at her church. A Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, May 25, 2008 at 2 PM at the Davis Memorial Presbyterian Church with the Reverend Douglas A. Jenkins, the Reverend Janet S. Jenkins and the Reverend William Warlick officiating. The family suggests that expressions of sympathy be in the form of contributions to the Randolph County Scholarship Fund at Davis & Elkins College, 100 Campus Drive, Elkins WV 26241 or to the donor�s favorite charity in memory of Miss Kump. The Lohr & Barb Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements for MARY GAMBLE KUMP. Condolences may be expressed to the family at; www.lohrbarbfuneralhome.com