John P. Gumm

John P. Gumm John P. Gumm, 87, of West Bend, Wis., and formerly of Tallahassee, died Thursday, Feb. 24, 2005, at Synergy Health St. Joseph's Hospital in West Bend. The service will be at 7 p.m. CST Monday at New Hope United Church of Christ in Jackson, Wis., with burial at Peace United Church of Christ Cemetery. Family will receive friends from 4 to 6:45 p.m. CST Monday at New Hope. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 241 John Knox Road, Tallahassee, FL 32303. Schmidt Funeral Home in West Bend (262-334-2301) is handling arrangements. He was born Aug. 20, 1917, in Jackson to Helen Frank and Clarence Gumm. While growing up at Gumm's Corner south of Jackson, his parents owned and operated a garage, tavern and restaurant. Following his graduation from West Bend High School, he attended the Frigidaire School of Refrigeration, receiving a graduation certificate. He went on to work on refrigeration in Milwaukee, Beloit and Madison. On Aug. 7, 1941, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force, training at McCord Field in Washington State until transferring to Portland Air Base before to deployment overseas. While in Portland, he met Margaret Ann Tate, marrying her 13 days later on Dec. 26, 1942. Five weeks after his wedding, he shipped out to Suez, Egypt, and from there to Libya in North Africa. He then served in Italy, where he was an aerial observer, flying combat missions over Germany as part of the 99th Bombing Group in B-42s and B-17s, completing 63 missions. Following his discharge in 1945, he started an automobile business at Gumm's Corner. He received a Kaiser-Frazer franchise in 1947 and then subsequently sold Hudson, Rambler and Jeep in West Bend. In 1972, he moved to Kissimmee and became a Dodge dealer in the Drake Organization. A few years later, he settled in Tallahassee, where he finished his career as general manager of the fleet, lease and rental section of Capitol Chrysler, Plymouth, Dodge. He was a charter member of the S/Sgt. Henry F. Gumm Post No. 486 American Legion and a member of the West Bend Lodge No. 138 F&AM, serving as master, and the board of directors for the Washington County Senior Citizens. Survivors include three sisters-in-law, Betty Gumm, Hedy Gumm and Kathy Kies; 11 nieces and nephews, Ronald Gumm (and wife Nancy), James Gumm (and wife Mary), Alan Gumm (and wife Carolyn), Thomas Gumm (and wife Carol), Cindy DeGueme (and husband Howard), Scott Gumm (and wife Audrey), Kay Gundrum (and husband Mark), Peter Gumm (and wife Janice), Sue Kell (and husband Rick), Karen Smith and Margaret Robinson; and many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death in March 1992 by his wife, Margaret; his parents; and four younger brothers, Clarence, Henry, Marvin and George.