Dr. Gary Woods Bumgarner

Dr. Gary Woods Bumgarner, age 62, left his beloved home, the “Old Bumgarner Place”, in Homewood, Alabama, on Tuesday, September 13, and has gone to his Eternal Home with the Lord. Gary was born in Wilmington, Ohio, October 16, 1953, to Kenneth E. and Mary Woods Bumgarner. He was preceded in death by his father, Kenneth E. Bumgarner in 2013, and by his brother, Glenn E. Bumgarner in 2003. He graduated from Wilmington High school in 1972, where he was a member of the High School Varsity Football Team, and the Varsity Wrestling Team.

He is survived by his mother, Mary W. Bumgarner; two sisters, Kathryn Bumgarner (Gary) Van Pelt, and Joan Bumgarner Stewart, both of Wilmington, Ohio; nieces, Rachel (Todd) Taylor of Cincinnati, Ohio, Christy (Chris) McFadden of Asheville, North Carolina, Jaime (Travis) Hibbs of Wilmington, Ohio, Tricia (Brian) Edwards of Plain City, Ohio, Sarah Saunders of Denver, Colorado, Jessica (Sean) Earley of Martinsville, Ohio, and Stephanie (George) Aubin of Hampstead, North Carolina; and a nephew Joseph Bumgarner Smith of Wilmington, Ohio.

Gary was loved dearly by his nieces and nephews, as well as grandnieces and grandnephews, who anticipated his Christmas visits, being entertained by his infectious smile, lighting up any room he entered, and his stories, poems, and singing Bob Dylan.

Gary earned his pharmacy degree in 1983 from The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy, and subsequently practiced pharmacy at Tybee Island near Savannah, Georgia for several years. He then moved to Atlanta and worked at the Georgia poison control center while completing his graduate training at Mercer University and Emory University in the areas of pharmaceutics and immunology. Gary was a scientist, participating in cancer research at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, investigating immunotherapy for cancer treatment. He has written numerous publications, and presented at professional conferences on the findings of his research. Samford University McWhorter School of Pharmacy was fortunate to have Gary join their family in 2001.

During his 15 years at Samford, he touched the lives of nearly two thousand pharmacy students before his passing. Gary was more than just a teacher for his students: he was a mentor, friend, cheerleader, advocate; a person whom they could go to whether they needed help with their coursework or to have deep philosophical discussions about faith. His students were his family, he loved them as his own, and made himself available to them. One would often find him in his office or the classroom on evenings and weekends helping students who were struggling in his course, never giving up on them and always encouraging them to learn. During his time at Samford, Gary received numerous awards from students, including the Teacher of the Year award, Commitment to Student Success award, and Pharmacy Role Model award. His current and former students remarked that they knew Dr. Bumgarner genuinely believed in them. Students described him as “cheerfully generous”, “an amazing professor”, “compassionate beyond measure”, “the sweetest man I have ever known”.

He often engaged students outside of the classroom as well, by taking them to conferences and seminars in order to broaden their experiences and training. He was present at student events, health fairs, picnics, and intramural games. He was there to support them, selflessly, in any way he could.

His selflessness reached beyond the classroom and the campus of Samford. In 2003, Gary initiated faith-based diabetes education and support groups for the medically underserved in Perry County, Alabama by partnering with Sewing Seeds of Hope. What started off as Saturday trips with students to meet with patients at the health clinic eventually resulted in the school being recognized by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy in 2008. His legacy will live on as Samford continues with this work today.

Gary was committed to helping students make, as he called it, the “head-to-heart connection”. His words below relating a student’s desire to enter into pharmacy in order to care for others is taken from the introduction to his pamphlet titled “The Profession of Pharmacy as a Calling to Serve”. This pamphlet was provided to over one thousand incoming pharmacy students at Samford University and reveal Gary’s true calling and how he approached mentoring and teaching his students:

“At this time our heads our connected to hearts, we are engaged, and it is a powerful impetus to help us further investigate what it is exactly what we want to do. If we are fortunate to live in an environment that supports this investigation, this desire to give, and that encourages us, that tells us that our dreams, our desires, our “callings”, are indeed possible, we may just find ourselves, someday, awaiting our first day of class at a place like the McWhorter School of Pharmacy. What is this “voice” in our hearts that we “hear” in our minds? Perhaps it is God. Whatever it is, it certainly seems as if a light has come on, that a way has been created, and it is usually accompanied by the sense that we are being true to ourselves, we are in touch with what we really want to do. Some of us are more consciously aware of these experiences than others, although we believe that all of us have had them. The head-to heart connection is always present, whether we are aware of it or not, and it can always be nurtured. It can always be strengthened.”

Gary fully realized his calling to serve…he poured his heart into his work and his relationships with others, challenging his students, colleagues, family and friends to grow intellectually and spiritually. He was a light to those around him. Even in his physical pain and suffering he found a way to encourage and motivate others. Gary Bumgarner was a true friend and an inspiration to his Samford family.

To honor Gary’s life, the McWhorter School of Pharmacy is establishing a scholarship fund in his name. In lieu of flowers please make donations to Samford University in memory of Dr. Gary Bumgarner to support the “Dr. Gary Bumgarner Legacy Scholarship” in the McWhorter School of Pharmacy. Make checks payable to Samford University and send to:

University Advancement

800 Lakeshore Drive, Birmingham, AL 35229

or go online to http://www.samford.edu/pharmacy/give

Please be sure to indicate the gift is in memory of Dr. Gary Bumgarner. The family will receive friends from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Monday evening, September 19th, at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church. The Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 20th, at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church with a reception for friends and family immediately following at the church. Burial will be held privately in Bloomingburg, Ohio. Services are under the direction of Ridout’s Valley Chapel (205-879-3401) in Homewood, Alabama.

Arrangements under the direction of Ridout's Valley Chapel, Homewood, AL.