Margaret Bumpas

Margaret (Orr) Bumpas, 90, passed away at home Monday, October 10, 2016. Mrs. Bumpas (known to many as ‘Mrs. B’), along with her late husband Herbert J. Bumpas, founded Bumpas Emporium and Drug.

Margaret was born April 30, 1926 and was a Tallmadge resident her entire life. She graduated from Tallmadge High School in 1944 and became an RN in 1947. In 1948 she married Herb Bumpas after meeting him at Akron City Hospital, where she was a nurse and he was her patient. In 1950 they opened Bumpas Drug & Emporium, which eventually became the largest independent drug store in Ohio and destination stop for Ohio bus tours. ‘Mrs. B’ used her creativity and keen eye for merchandising to manage the card and gift shop opened in the 1970’s. Herb died in 1990, and Margaret operated the store until it was sold in 1997. 

She was a member of the Tallmadge Country Study Club, the Tallmadge Chamber of Commerce, Tallmadge Historical Society, The Tallmadge Foundation and was a participant in the Harvard Medical School Nurses Health Study. In 2003, a tree was planted at the Chamber office and a plaque installed dedicated to the Bumpas family for outstanding service to the Chamber and community. Margaret was also awarded a lifetime membership to the Chamber.

 In 2006, she was chosen to be in the Tallmadge High School Alumni Hall of Fame.  In her speech she stated “I feel like I’ve had a good and successful life and I am proud of all I’ve accomplished.  My motto has been ‘It is what it is, deal with it’.  Work hard and do what you think is right at the time and never look back.  Those things and a sense of humor have gotten me through life!”

Margaret was proud of her 5 children whom she raised to be useful, self-sufficient citizens and to help others.

She is survived by her children Pat (Rich) Mahovich and Terry Bumpas of Tallmadge, Donna (John) Crider of Brentwood, TN, Scott (Kim) Bumpas of Knoxville TN, and Sandy (Mike) Mendel of Sunnyvale CA, her grandchildren Chris, Nate (Holly) and Matt Mahovich, Lauren Miolaro, Adam, Joe (Katie) and Jake Crider, Mike, Steve (Sara) and Andrew Bumpas, Sarah (Jason) Tyler, Brandon, Julian and Bailey Mendel; great grandchildren McKenzie Woody, Addilyn Tyler, Jocelyn Mahovich, Evan Crider and sister, Susan Schwarz of Sherman Oaks, CA.  The family would like to especially thank Margaret’s niece, Lisa Penrod, for her friendship and support over the years, her homecare aides, Felicia Graham and Theresa Sanders, Dr. Deborah Plate and Akron General Visiting Nurse Service Hospice for the devotion to her quality of life, which allowed her to remain in her own home.

Friends may call at the Donovan Funeral Home, 17 Southwest Avenue, Tallmadge from 4-8 pm on Friday, Oct. 14.  Services will be held on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 1:00 pm at the First Congregational Church of Tallmadge, 85 Heritage Drive.  Burial at Tallmadge Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials be made in her name to the First Congregational Church of Tallmadge, 85 Heritage Drive, Tallmadge or The Tallmadge Foundation, PO Box 62, Tallmadge. 

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