Warren (Smokey) Rumsey

Visitation: Monday from 2:00 until 7:00 PM and Tuesday at the church for the hour preceding the funeral

Funeral Service: Tuesday morning, June 8, 2004, at 10:00 AM at Trinity Lutheran Church in Culbertson

Interment: will follow in Hillside Cemetery with military honors.

Warren (Smokey) Rumsey, 83, a longtime Culbertson, Montana resident, passed away Wednesday afternoon, June 2, 2004, in the Roosevelt Memorial Nursing Home in Culbertson.

Warren Harding Rumsey was born to I.C. and Verna (Cook) Rumsey January 25, 1921 on the family farm in Rockingham County, VA where he was raised. In his youth he would walk four miles from the farm through the area hills to the schoolhouse into the neighboring state of Pennsylvania. Upon completing his schooling he was employed in the building construction industry.Smokey enlisted in the Army Air Corp in 1942, and served in Florida, Texas and Enid, OK where he was a flight engineer on B-17 and B-24's. He was a trainer of pilots and was a tech sergeant upon his honorable discharge in 1945. He was awarded the American Theatre Ribbon and Good Conduct and World War II Victory Medals.On July 24, 1943 Warren married Winifred Krall. They made their home in the various military post towns in which Smokey served, until moving to Montana in 1946. They farmed Winifreds uncles farm, north of Brockton, from 1946 until 1960 when they took over the farm of John Krall, Winifreds dad. Smokey farmed there these many years with his son, Richard.

Many varied interests filled Smokeys life. He was a member of the Culbertson Rod and Gun Club, was active in the Montana National Guard right after World War II and for many years thereafter, belonged to the Culbertson Horseshoe Club, a twenty year member of the Culbertson Volunteer Fire Department, pitched for the Culbertson team in the area baseball league, and enjoyed waterskiing and boating. Friends were important to Smokey and he spent many years hunting and fishing with them. He later joined the area Good Sam Club and spent many years traveling the country in his RV up until the fall of 2002. Smokey was always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone in need.

Surviving Smokey are his son, Richard (Dick) Rumsey and his wife, Eileen, of Culbertson; three grandsons, Chris Rumsey and his wife, Leslie, and Colton of Laughlin, NV, Tom Rumsey and his wife, Holly, and Jennifer and Josh of Fayetteville, NC; and Abe Rumsey of Culbertson; a sister, Opal Henry and her husband, Bob, of Pennsylvania; and a brother, Ralph Rumsey and his wife, Delta, of Pennsylvania.

He was preceded in death by his wife in 1999, Winifred, two brothers, Lloyd and Duane Rumsey, and his parents.

Friends may call at the Everson Clayton Stevenson Chapel of Culbertson Monday from 2:00 until 7:00 PM and Tuesday at the church for the hour preceding the funeral.