Neva Bailey Bumgarner

Neva Lula Bailey Bumgarner, 81, a recent resident of Watkinsville, GA passed away peacefully on October 27, 2024. She was the daughter of the late John and Lyvonne Flowers.

Neva was born in March of 1943 in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. She was raised on a small flower farm along with her three siblings. In October of 1963, she married her first husband, Joe Bailey. They lived in Daytona Beach, Florida and raised two daughters. They were longtime members of White Chapel Church of God, where they actively served for many years. 

Neva was passionate about serving in the church where she taught children’s Sunday School and often organized church dinners and socials. She loved to cook and often brought meals to church members that were in need. After visiting her parents back in Jacksonville, she would come home with buckets of flowers from the farm to make arrangements to deliver to elderly shut-ins or those who were sick. 

In 1981, they relocated to Leesburg, FL where she worked at a local flower shop. During this time she fulfilled her dream of owning horses. After their kids went to college, she and Joe enjoyed many years of traveling the country in their motorhome. They enjoyed one location – the Leatherwood Mountains in Darby, NC – so much they built a cabin there where they lived until Joe’s death in 1996. In the years following, Neva was the owner of Wilkesboro Cleaners and Laundry.

While living in Wilkesboro, NC, she met William “Bill” Bumgarner. They married in 2003 and Neva enjoyed expanding her family to include Bill’s son and his family. She and Bill had several happy years together with their beloved dog Peanut, a porch full of Neva’s flowers, and a shed full of Bill’s “collections.” They enjoyed spending time with their kids and grandkids and stayed active maintaining their laundromat. They were members of Wilkes Christian Church, where they were both involved, loving and serving others. 

In 2007, Bill passed away and Neva moved to Vero Beach, FL where she was an active member at Vero Christian Church. In her later years, she enjoyed cooking, an active social life, and spending time with her grandbabies.

In her last days, she moved to Watkinsville, GA where she enjoyed many sweet visits with family and the company of her stuffed puppy named Douglas. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Lyvonne Flowers; her first husband, Joe Bailey; her daughter, Rhondi Harrell; and her second husband, William Bumgarner.

Neva is survived by her daughter Aven Puderer (David) and son Steve Bumgarner (Jill); 7 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; her siblings John Flowers (Mary), Cyvette Guerra (Gene), and Gina Burton (Jeff); as well as several nieces and nephews.

The memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 14th at 11:00 AM at Hillcrest Baptist Church, 9856 McNeil Road, Kernersville, NC. 

Memorials in memory of Mrs. Bumgarner may be made to:

Pioneers at https://give.pioneers.org/donate/strategic-priorities-fund or The Benjamin John Stephens Foundation, PO Box 1512, Watkinsville, GA 30677.

Lord & Stephens Funeral Home, EAST, Athens is in charge of arrangements. www.lordandstephens.com.