Orrin Earl Bumgardner

A devoted husband and loving father, Orrin spent his life working tirelessly to ensure his family had everything we needed, teaching us the value of faith, hard work, kindness, and generosity.

Orrin was born on November 13, 1935, in Barrett, Minnesota to Arthur & Ida (Siebert) Bumgardner. He married Ruth Henthorn on June 11, 1955 in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, and together they built a loving home in Blaine, where they resided throughout their lives.

A devoted father, Orrin dedicated his life to his children: Valerie (Roger) Huigens, Steven (1966-2022), Donald (Jill) Bumgardner, and Kevin (Joel) Bumgardner. He was a cherished grandfather to Amanda (Travis), Emily, Kelly (Joseph), Ally, Katelyn (Jordan), and Tomas, and a beloved great-grandfather to Charlotte, Max, Harrison, Gabriella, and Oden.

For over 40 years, Orrin was a prominent member of the Twin Cities real estate community, and he dedicated his life to serving his clients with integrity and kindness. He “retired” at 85, though that mostly meant slowing down just enough to make retirement believable. Until the very end, he enjoyed talking shop. He loved the work, and more importantly, he loved the people. Many clients became close friends, and he stayed present for their lives—family celebrations included.

Also deeply mechanical, Orrin was gifted with his hands, which meant the garage was always full of tools and full of memories. His love for antique cars filled the pole barn with dreams of restoring many classics.

Having grown up on a farm, one would often find Orrin in his garden growing vegetables to share at the office or rhubarb for Ruth to bake into desserts. Orrin was eager to pass along to his children the love for the outdoors with hunting, fishing, and trips to the lake for fun and games with the Jessie Gang.

Orrin lived his life in honor of Jesus Christ. He was committed to his faith, always active at his church whether it was leadership, volunteering, greeting and even acting in the Easter Pageant.

His memory will forever live on in our hearts.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, March 28 at 11:00 AM at Oak Park Community Church in Blaine, with visitation one hour prior to the service.

In honor of Orrin’s generous spirit, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Minnesota Teen Challenge.