The Reverend Beverly Bumbaugh—who came into UU ministry in mid-life and served multiple solo and co-ministry settlements with her husband David Bumbaugh—died on 14 February 2019, aged 82.

Beverly Ann Keplinger, the oldest of six children of Paul L. and Thelma A. Keplinger, was born on 2 May 1936 in Hagerstown, Maryland. Midway through college she married her high-school sweetheart, David Bumbaugh, and completed her B.A. in English in 1958.

Raising a family occupied much of Beverly’s time early on as David completed ministerial study and served churches in the Midwest. By the mid-1970s, hearing a ministerial call of her own, she began informally sharing roles with her husband, then settled since 1969 in Alexandria VA. In affirmation of this, the Mt. Vernon Unitarian Church board accepted their joint proposal in 1977 to recognize them as co-ministers, and the congregation forthwith ordained her on 22 January 1978. She soon enrolled in an independent ministerial study program, completing the equivalent of an M.Div. in 1981.

Over succeeding years, the Rev’d Ms. Bumbaugh served settled and interim ministries at the UU Fellowship at Easton MD, the East Shore UU Church (Kirtland OH, 1986–87), the UU Congregation of Rockland NY (1987–91), the Muttontown (NY) UU Fellowship (1992), the UU Church of the Lehigh Valley PA (1992–93), and the South Nassau UU Congregation, NY (1994–95). In 1995 she returned to co- ministry with David at the Beacon UU Congregation in Summit NJ, where he had already been settled for seven years. A cancer diagnosis led her to early retirement in 1998, and the Beacon congregation elected her Minister Emerita.

At her death, Beverly was survived by her spouse, the Rev’d David E. Bumbaugh, four children, four grandsons, and five siblings.

Memorial services were scheduled on 6 April 2019 at Bristol Village in Waverly OH; and on 25 May 2019 at the Mount Vernon Unitarian Church in Alexandria VA. Notes of condolence may be sent to David E. Bumbaugh, 335 Oak Ave, Waverly OH 45690, or revbev@aol.com.