Streaming Funeral Service For Duane Edward Bumgardner

Beloved father, grandfather, great grandfather, and brother, Duane Edward Bumgardner, 83, of Stuart, FL, passed away peacefully with his family by his side on June 27, 2023.

Duane was born on January 2, 1940 to Ralph and Mary Avis Bumgardner in Schoolcraft, MI. He grew up on a farm and couldn’t wait to spread his wings. After graduating from Schoolcraft Community School at the top of his class, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1958 and was honorably discharged from the 762nd Radar Squadron in 1962 as an Aircraft Control & Warning Radar Repairman. He received the Good Conduct Medal in 1962 during his time in the 5040th Air Base Wing at Elmendorf Air Base in Alaska. He served his country in TX, MS, AK, and MA on radar stations.

In 1960, he met and married his former spouse, Beth and had two children Sheryl “Sheri” and Michael “Mike.”

Duane was a brilliant man and had a memory that couldn’t be beaten. He loved to tell people he was a member of Mensa. No one wanted to play Trivial Pursuit with Duane because he knew all the answers!

Over many years, he and Beth raised their family in Windsor, CT. In 1986, they moved to Florida to escape the cold winters and work on his golf game!

Duane worked at multiple aircraft parts manufacturing companies as an engineer using the knowledge he acquired while serving in the Air Force. He was a Sr. Project Engineer at TCT in Stuart, FL where he engineered a fuel injection system for the F414 jet turbine engine which is still manufactured to this day. General Electric, the manufacturer of this engine, flew Duane to its facility in MA to receive an achievement award for this work.

Duane married Sheila Johnson, the love of his life in 1995. He welcomed four step-children Michele, Roma Lee, David and Kevin. Duane and Sheila were married for eight years before she passed away in 2004. They were wanderlusts and loved spending time vacationing and cruising. Visits to and from family and attending real estate galas were also high on their list of life’s most cherished moments.

Duane will be welcomed into heaven by his wife Sheila; his parents Ralph and Mary Avis; his sister Dora Jean; and his brothers Ralph Jr. “Sonny” and baby Paul. He is lovingly remembered by his daughter Sheri and her husband Jerry; his son Mike and his wife Tammy; his grandchildren Ryan, Lauren and Trista; his great-grandchildren Corban, Silas, Faye and Grayson; his siblings Virginia “Ginny”; Harold “Bud” and his wife Norma; Glenn and his wife Donna; twin sisters Shirley and Sharon; and many nieces and nephews.

The family would like to give special thanks for the loving and caring nurses and staff at Symphony at Stuart and the nurses, physicians and Chaplain John at Vitas.

Duane will forever be loved.

A gathering of family and friends for Duane will be held from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Friday, July 21, 2023, at Aycock Funeral Home, 950 NE Jensen Beach Blvd, Jensen Beach, FL, where a celebration of life will be held from 1:30 to 2 p.m. He will then be laid to rest beside his wife, Sheila, at Fernhill Memorial Gardens and Mausoleum, 1501 South Kanner Hwy, Stuart, FL.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.aycockjensenbeach.com for the Bumgardner family.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast either through their donation website: https://hstc1.org/Donate or via mail at 4100 SW Leighton Farm Ave, Palm City, FL 34990.

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