William D. Lumbley

There is nothing more inspiring in life than seeing ordinary people do extraordinary things. Many times these extraordinary things are highlighted and shared to the world- seen on television or the Internet, but most of the time these extraordinary things take place behind the scenes by people who live (on a global scale) in anonymity. Early Sunday morning April 17, 2022, our world lost one of those people who lived his life quietly doing extraordinary things.

William Duane “Bill” Lumbley was born September 22, 1936 to Stephen Silas Lumbley and Florence Hull in Superior, Wisconsin. He spent his youth and teenage years in Monticello, Indiana. Born into a blue-collar family, Bill learned the value of hard work and perseverance. Bill excelled both academically and athletically at Monticello High School and wrote his own sports column for the Monticello Daily Herald Journal. Upon graduation as valedictorian of the class of 1954, he chose to attend Purdue University where he majored in chemistry, was a student manager for the Purdue Boilermaker basketball program, a member of Delta Upsilon fraternity and a Dean’s List student. Upon graduating from Purdue in 1958, he secured his first teaching position at Richmond (IN) High School. After Richmond, Bill began teaching chemistry at Thomas Carr Howe High School in Indianapolis, IN.

As a good friend, he accompanied a fellow teacher on the ride to Muncie and began taking night classes for a Master’s degree through Ball State University. One class night, mutual friends persuaded a young lady to meet Bill for a cup of coffee during his night school break. Fortunately, the young lady agreed, even though he missed the second half of class that night lost in conversation with the woman he married 13 months later. Thus began Bill‘s greatest accomplishment- his friendship and marriage to Nancy Skelton Lumbley. Both Lumbleys then taught in the Indianapolis Public Schools and their first child, Stephanie Lynn Lumbley (Wrye) was born while they lived there. While they did love being in Indianapolis, Bill had an opportunity to work in Civil Defense through Indiana University and with a second child on the way, they moved to Bloomington, IN, in the summer of 1965. Shortly after their arrival in Bloomington, their second child, Cynthia Suzanne Lumbley (Pearl) was born and five years later, their third child, William Patrick Lumbley was born.

During these years, Bill went back to teaching high school chemistry at Bloomington High School (now South). As a busy husband, teacher, student, and father of three busy kids, the 1970s was a very hectic decade for Bill Lumbley. Not only was he an exemplary teacher and very popular with both students and staff, he was also an outstanding graduate student, a township advisory board member and later a Monroe County councilman, President of the Soil & Water Conservation District, a devout husband and amazing father. He received a Master’s of Arts in Teaching through the IU chemistry department and continued working toward a doctorate. Realizing that completing a PhD and pursuing a professorship at the college level at that time might involve a move from Bloomington, he stopped his pursuit of the PhD and focused on doing extraordinary things for his family and the students of Bloomington. In his 40 years of public school teaching, (a majority at Bloomington South) he inspired and mentored hundreds of students, many of whom went on to pursue careers in the science and medical fields. There are many medical doctors, college professors and researchers across America who will say to this day that their greatest inspiration and best teacher was Bill Lumbley. There are also thousands of students who never pursued careers in science or medicine who will say that the challenge of Mr. Lumbley‘s class inspired them to know they could do anything.

At the conclusion of his 40 years of public school teaching in 1997, Indiana University, who had employed him in the summers to teach summer school classes, decided to bring him on as a professor in the chemistry department. He spent his final 10 years in education teaching at the college level.

After working with students in the classroom for 50 years, not only did Bill leave a legacy and make a tremendous impact on all of his students, he was recognized countless times as a “golden Apple winner“, a most influential teacher, a teacher of the year, and an Indiana Shining Star award winner. If he was ever asked about any of these awards he would downplay them and simply say he was blessed to have such amazing students.

As a father he was dedicated. Regardless of his hectic schedule, he was always available to support his children in whatever it was they were doing. Whether it was a choir concert, an orchestra event, a sporting event of many different varieties or a recognition or awards night, you can bet that he was there many times with his very large obnoxious video camera. As a team, he and Nancy reared three children who went on to graduate from college and have multiple degrees between them.

Bill added a new position to his résumé in 1990 when he became a grandfather. Known as “Pa” to his grandchildren, he loved attending their events, visiting with them and their families, attending tea parties, soccer games, lacrosse games, track meets or whatever else his grandchildren were participating in. Some of Bill‘s happiest moments were those large family get-togethers where all seven grandchildren and all of his kids and their spouses were under one roof. He loved being the master chef, he loved interacting with all of his grandchildren, and he enjoyed sometimes just sitting back and watching them play and be silly kids. His grandchildren will all say that whether they saw Pa every week or once every six months they knew he always had a big hug for them, a corny joke, and words of encouragement.

Bill and Nancy left their friends and home of 50+ years in Bloomington in 2017 and officially retired to sunny Florida, where he would no longer have to shovel snow! They spent their time exploring, eating and making countless new friends and memories.

He will be greatly missed by his seven grandchildren, Jordan Lizbeth Wrye Ross (George), Savannah Glynn Wrye, Connor George Pearl, Carson Howard Pearl, Claire Delaney Pearl, Aden Scout Lumbley, and Quin Carter Lumbley. He instilled in them a love of learning and life and in many cases served as a pretty tremendous tutor during those difficult high school and college science courses. Sadly, one job that Bill is not able to enjoy (to its fullest) was that of a great grandfather. On March 17, 2022, his first great grandchild Aurora Camille Ross joined the family. While he was able to meet her in person, his time with her was too short.

Finally, his greatest accomplishment was also his greatest love. On June 2, 1961, Bill had married Nancy Skelton Lumbley in the Irvington United Methodist Church in Indianapolis. When this young couple took their vows they had no idea the amazing ride they were going to enjoy together. In addition to being best friends and an amazing team of parents and grandparents, they were also colleagues, thought partners, and travel companions. The young man from Monticello, Indiana and his bride from Boonville, Indiana in their nearly 62 years together saw this great country and far beyond. Seeing the world from Hawaii to Greece and Alaska to Ireland, Bill and Nancy were able to see this world together and enjoy these moments and created memories that will always remain. Bill’s top priority was always taking care of Nancy and making sure that she was happy and healthy. It is fitting that in his final hours he left us holding her hand. He would have had it no other way.

In 85 years, this man from a Midwest blue collar home accomplished and experienced more than anyone could have probably ever dreamed- including himself. While his children- Stephanie Wrye (Glen), Cynthia Pearl (Cary) and Patrick Lumbley miss their father and mourn his loss along with their children and Nancy misses her best friend and confidant of nearly 62 years, we can all smile knowing that in his 85 years, not only did he enrich our lives, but he made an impact that touched hundreds, even thousands of people. He was just an ordinary man who quietly did extraordinary things on a daily basis and he made this world a better place.