"Mildred Bumphrey, 101, a lifetime resident of Kent, died Wednesday, November 29, 2006 at Stow Glen Retirement Center. She was born July 26, 1905, in Kent to G. Frank and Mary (Foote) Elgin, and was a descendant of the founding families of Brimfield. She graduated from both the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York and Kent Normal School College (Kent State University) in 1928. She was a Kent State University Delta Gamma Sorority charter member, a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society since 1938, a member of Coterie Two, as well as the Kent State University President's Club and Kent State University Orchestra Society. She served as a member of the Kent Board of Education from 1948 to 1955, and was the Director of the Youth Choir at the United Church of Christ for twenty-two years. Most recently she served as the Honorary Chairwoman of the Kent Bicentennial Celebration.
She is survived by her nephews and nieces, David (Michelle) Fenn of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, John (Sara) Fenn of McArthur, California, Stephen (Diane) Anderson of Naples, Florida, Susan (Gary) Jackson of Wall Lake, Michigan, Gail (Robert) McNeil of Hilton Head Island, S.C., Jay Tetlow of Hilton Head Island, S.C., Al Tetlow of Canfield, Ohio, and Marti Willits of Hilton Head Island, S.C., and many grandnieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Cecil Bumphrey; son, Robert Bumphrey; and sisters, Alice Fenn and Mary Elizabeth Anderson. Memorial services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, December 9, 2006, at The United Church of Christ of Kent, with Rev. Dr. Terri Young and Rev. Kim Barnett officiating. Private burial will be at Standing Rock Cemetery in Kent. Memorial contributions may be made to Kent Free Library Foundation, P.O. Box 684, Kent, OH 44240 or United Church of Christ Of Kent, Music Fund, 1427 Horning Road, Kent, OH 44240. Bissler & Sons Funeral Home and Crematory are handling the arrangements."
- Akron Beacon Journal Dec. 1, 2006
1905 Jul 26 birth Franklin Twp
Mildred Marie Elgin
father Geo. Frank Elgin
mother Mary Lincoln Foote
1910 Census, Franklin, Portage, Ohio
Elgin, George F., 32, b. Ohio
-, Mary F., 31
-, Mildred M., 4
-, Alice L, 2
Foote, Alice U, 66, mother-in-law
Queen, Dale, 18, boarder
1920 Census, Franklin, Portage, Ohio
Elgin, G Frank, 42, b. Ohio
-, Mary, 41, b. Ohio
-, Mildred, 14
-, Alice, 12
-, Mary Elizabeth, 3
Foote, Alice, 74, mother-in-law, b. Ohio
1940 Census, Kent, Portage, Ohio
Bumphrey, Cecil H., 37, b. Illinois
-, Mildred, 34 b. Ohio
-, Robert E., 0, b. Ohio
2006 Dec 1 obituary, Akron Beacon Journal
Mildred Bumphrey
2006 Class Notes, In Memorium, University of Rochester
Alumni
Mildred Elgin Bumphrey, '28E, November 2006
age 101, widowed
5+ years of college
father Elgin
mother Foote
Additional biographical info in newsletters of the Kent Historical Society, at kentohiohistory dot com. You can also see many of her family history artifacts at the Kent Historical Society museum on East Main St.
Also on kentwired dot com, "Kent Alumna Older Than KSU" by Bethany Jones
"Kent Residence Provided Killer Inspiration" by Amanda Garrett, July 20, 2005
Kent Wired
"Elgin house source of 'Psycho' set design. The Elgin House once belonged to biology professor Harry A. Cunningham and has played host to rumors inciting Psycho enthusiasts to visit the old house. It is surrounded by trees and shrouded in legend. For years, rumors have swirled about the big green house on the hill in Kent. Locals and Kent State students have gossiped about hauntings at 233 Columbus St., and the home’s connection to the 1960 film Psycho. The Elgin House, as it is known in historical circles, does have a connection to the Alfred Hitchcock horror classic, said Mildred Bumphrey, who lived in the Elgin House as a child. During the 1940s, biology professor Harry A. Cunningham owned the Elgin house and rented rooms. One of the renters, who may have been Cunningham’s nephew, later worked on the film Psycho, Bumphrey said. He told Bumphrey the home’s Victorian architecture inspired him to create the dilapidated mansion of murderous mama’s boy Norman Bates. “He remembered the high ceilings and the circular staircase and how the house set way up on a hill,” said Bumphrey, who was unable to remember the name of the Psycho crew member. Many false stories about the Elgin House sprang up after the May 4th shootings, Kent Historical Society Executive Director Guy Pernetti said. Kent was inundated with national journalists, including famous author James Michener. who wrote a book about Kent. Michener’s book falsely stated that Robert Bloch, who wrote the novel Psycho, lived in the Elgin House, Pernetti said. When asked about the truth of the rumors Bloch denied ever having visited Kent, and added that he based his book on a series of murders in his native Wisconsin. The current owners of the Elgin House, John and Pam Vanags, are used to film fanatics making pilgrimages to see their home. “When I was younger there were always people coming up to the house,” said the Vanags’ daughter Katrina. “People would always ask, ‘Aren’t you afraid to use the shower?’ We were getting kind of sick of it after awhile.” Bumphrey, who will be 100 years old on Tuesday, remembers her childhood home as a happy place. She was born at the Elgin house, which her grandfather built in 1867. “My Grandfather Freeman Underwood was one of the founding citizens of Brimfield,” she said. “He wanted a big house on a hill, so he went out and bought himself one.” Bumphrey lived in the house while she majored in music and art at Kent State. “My best memories of the house are that it was always filled with music,” said Bumphrey, who worked at the Daily Kent Stater. “My father built a conservatory for me to practice the violin. I also loved the beautiful circular stairway and the library filled with books. Katrina Vanags said she has an easy answer for the teasing of some of her schoolmates. "My mother told me to tell people that the murders occurred at the Bate’s Motel, and not at Norman Bates’ house.”
"Kent alumna older than KSU" by Bethany Jones, kentwired dot com July 27, 2005
Mildred Bumphrey turns 100
Mildred Bumphrey, 100, is one of the oldest Kent State Alums.
Credit: Beth Rankin
"She was born the same year that Albert Einstein published his theory of relativity and made the equation E=mc2 famous. She has lived through 18 presidents, two world wars and the invention of electricity, radio, television and the microwave oven. She was born before Kent State was even a college and was present when the first brick was laid at McGilvrey hall. She is Mildred Elgin Bumphrey, one of the oldest Kent State alums, and she turned 100 yesterday. Bumphrey does not like a lot of attention, but she is learning to cope with it. “People keep telling me you only turn 100 once,” she said. She attributes her good health and mind to staying busy. “I’ve always been the busiest woman on the block,” she said. “Apparently I have good genes. I never had bad habits and I always tried to eat and exercise with moderation and judgment.” Bumphrey grew up in Kent where some of her fondest memories include her best friend Louise McGilvrey, daughter of John McGilvrey, president of Kent State from 1912 to 1944. Bumphrey said she remembers she and Louise sitting next to McGilvrey in the Kent Auditorium in front of the trustees, deans and faculty members. “I remember how wonderful the McGilvreys were to me,” she said. “I was just a spoiled, spoiled girl because Louise was my friend. “I had to kill myself to keep up with her. It gave me a very good education.” Bumphrey graduated from high school in 1923 and went on to the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. She graduated from Eastman in 1928 and later from Kent State with a Bachelor of Science in music education and a minor in art. She always wanted to go to school for music and she had to learn how to play numerous instruments. Her main focus was the violin. Mary Sue Hyatt, interim director at the Hugh A. Glauser School of Music, said that although Bumphrey does not consider herself a great violinist, she is. “She’s a wonderful role model for anyone any age,” she said. “She’s a pillar in the community and a pillar of strength. I wish her many more happy birthdays.” Bumphrey said after college she taught music for three years at a junior high in Rochester. She was then offered a teaching position in Kent. She moved back to the area and taught as supervisor of music and art at Theodore Roosevelt High School from 1931 to 1939. She was also the first woman elected to the Kent Board of Education, where she served two terms from 1948 to 1955. The board of education honored her in 2004 by naming a room inside the Depeyster Building the Mildred Elgin Bumphrey Board Room. Jim Myers, who served on the Kent Board of Education, and his wife, Sally, both said Bumphrey is an amazing woman. “She’s a delightful woman, it has been a privilege knowing her,” Jim said. Bumphrey also worked as the director of the young people’s choir at the United Church of Christ for 22 years. “She had a youth choir here that was absolutely fantastic,” said Luella Blair, a volunteer at United Church of Christ. “She’s a wonderful story teller, so articulate. She’s just a wonderful friend.” Bumphrey said that when she married her husband Cecil in 1939 she stopped working. Sue Hodge, secretary at United Church of Christ, said that seeing the Bumphreys together inspired her. “They were such a wonderful couple,” she said. “You can tell that they adored each other. I was fortunate to have gotten to know Cecil before he passed. They were both just wonderful people.” In 2000, Kent State presented Bumphrey with the Distinguished Alumna Award for career achievement in music education. Bumphrey is modest about her accomplishments. “I’m really just one of the girls,” she said. “I’ve been fortunate.” She said she does not feel like she is 100. “I don’t know how you’re supposed to feel at 70, and I don’t know how you’re supposed to feel at 100,” she said. “I don’t hurt any place at all.” Bumphrey said she is thankful that her mind is in good condition. She never stops using it and thinks that has helped her along the years. Bumphrey enjoys knitting and makes almost all of her clothes. She won third place this year at the Stow Monroe Falls Public Library spring needlework show. Bumphrey now lives at Stow-Glen Retirement Village where she says the staff takes excellent care of her. She said she wouldn’t be where she is today without the friends she has had and the wonderful people at Stow-Glen. Kay Keller, co-director of independent living at Stow-Glen, said that it is hard to believe that Bumphrey is 100. “We love her,” she said. “She’s just an outstanding lady. There’s no one that she dislikes. She is very intelligent and just a sharp woman.” About 18 guests came to celebrate with Bumphrey Thursday night as she was honored by the Delta Gammas, the sorority she belonged to when she went to Kent State. She is the oldest chapter member and a charter member of the Gamma Epsilon chapter. Rachel Slitpy, president of the Kent Delta Gamma alumni chapter, said that Bumphrey was presented with a proclamation on behalf of the national president of the fraternity. The chapter has even established a scholarship in her name. Slitpy said Bumphrey also received an album full of cards given by members who could not make the ceremony. “We were thrilled to celebrate this milestone with Mildred; she is truly an inspiration,” Slitpy said. Bumphrey celebrated her birthday on Saturday with a small group of immediate relatives. She had a small dinner party Sunday night and an open house yesterday from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at Stow-Glen where friends from the university and the community were invited to celebrate. “I don’t want that regular, old, dry yellow or white cake,” she said. “There a lot of things I like better.” Instead, Bumphrey asked to have Boston cream pie on Sunday and carrot cake yesterday. Bumphrey said that life is beautiful and that providing services to others is very important to her. “You come into the world alone and you leave alone. It’s up to you to make the most if it,” she said. “It’s up to you to give something back to the world.”
She is survived by her nephews and nieces, David (Michelle) Fenn of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, John (Sara) Fenn of McArthur, California, Stephen (Diane) Anderson of Naples, Florida, Susan (Gary) Jackson of Wall Lake, Michigan, Gail (Robert) McNeil of Hilton Head Island, S.C., Jay Tetlow of Hilton Head Island, S.C., Al Tetlow of Canfield, Ohio, and Marti Willits of Hilton Head Island, S.C., and many grandnieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Cecil Bumphrey; son, Robert Bumphrey; and sisters, Alice Fenn and Mary Elizabeth Anderson. Memorial services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, December 9, 2006, at The United Church of Christ of Kent, with Rev. Dr. Terri Young and Rev. Kim Barnett officiating. Private burial will be at Standing Rock Cemetery in Kent. Memorial contributions may be made to Kent Free Library Foundation, P.O. Box 684, Kent, OH 44240 or United Church of Christ Of Kent, Music Fund, 1427 Horning Road, Kent, OH 44240. Bissler & Sons Funeral Home and Crematory are handling the arrangements."
- Akron Beacon Journal Dec. 1, 2006
1905 Jul 26 birth Franklin Twp
Mildred Marie Elgin
father Geo. Frank Elgin
mother Mary Lincoln Foote
1910 Census, Franklin, Portage, Ohio
Elgin, George F., 32, b. Ohio
-, Mary F., 31
-, Mildred M., 4
-, Alice L, 2
Foote, Alice U, 66, mother-in-law
Queen, Dale, 18, boarder
1920 Census, Franklin, Portage, Ohio
Elgin, G Frank, 42, b. Ohio
-, Mary, 41, b. Ohio
-, Mildred, 14
-, Alice, 12
-, Mary Elizabeth, 3
Foote, Alice, 74, mother-in-law, b. Ohio
1940 Census, Kent, Portage, Ohio
Bumphrey, Cecil H., 37, b. Illinois
-, Mildred, 34 b. Ohio
-, Robert E., 0, b. Ohio
2006 Dec 1 obituary, Akron Beacon Journal
Mildred Bumphrey
2006 Class Notes, In Memorium, University of Rochester
Alumni
Mildred Elgin Bumphrey, '28E, November 2006
age 101, widowed
5+ years of college
father Elgin
mother Foote
Additional biographical info in newsletters of the Kent Historical Society, at kentohiohistory dot com. You can also see many of her family history artifacts at the Kent Historical Society museum on East Main St.
Also on kentwired dot com, "Kent Alumna Older Than KSU" by Bethany Jones
"Kent Residence Provided Killer Inspiration" by Amanda Garrett, July 20, 2005
Kent Wired
"Elgin house source of 'Psycho' set design. The Elgin House once belonged to biology professor Harry A. Cunningham and has played host to rumors inciting Psycho enthusiasts to visit the old house. It is surrounded by trees and shrouded in legend. For years, rumors have swirled about the big green house on the hill in Kent. Locals and Kent State students have gossiped about hauntings at 233 Columbus St., and the home’s connection to the 1960 film Psycho. The Elgin House, as it is known in historical circles, does have a connection to the Alfred Hitchcock horror classic, said Mildred Bumphrey, who lived in the Elgin House as a child. During the 1940s, biology professor Harry A. Cunningham owned the Elgin house and rented rooms. One of the renters, who may have been Cunningham’s nephew, later worked on the film Psycho, Bumphrey said. He told Bumphrey the home’s Victorian architecture inspired him to create the dilapidated mansion of murderous mama’s boy Norman Bates. “He remembered the high ceilings and the circular staircase and how the house set way up on a hill,” said Bumphrey, who was unable to remember the name of the Psycho crew member. Many false stories about the Elgin House sprang up after the May 4th shootings, Kent Historical Society Executive Director Guy Pernetti said. Kent was inundated with national journalists, including famous author James Michener. who wrote a book about Kent. Michener’s book falsely stated that Robert Bloch, who wrote the novel Psycho, lived in the Elgin House, Pernetti said. When asked about the truth of the rumors Bloch denied ever having visited Kent, and added that he based his book on a series of murders in his native Wisconsin. The current owners of the Elgin House, John and Pam Vanags, are used to film fanatics making pilgrimages to see their home. “When I was younger there were always people coming up to the house,” said the Vanags’ daughter Katrina. “People would always ask, ‘Aren’t you afraid to use the shower?’ We were getting kind of sick of it after awhile.” Bumphrey, who will be 100 years old on Tuesday, remembers her childhood home as a happy place. She was born at the Elgin house, which her grandfather built in 1867. “My Grandfather Freeman Underwood was one of the founding citizens of Brimfield,” she said. “He wanted a big house on a hill, so he went out and bought himself one.” Bumphrey lived in the house while she majored in music and art at Kent State. “My best memories of the house are that it was always filled with music,” said Bumphrey, who worked at the Daily Kent Stater. “My father built a conservatory for me to practice the violin. I also loved the beautiful circular stairway and the library filled with books. Katrina Vanags said she has an easy answer for the teasing of some of her schoolmates. "My mother told me to tell people that the murders occurred at the Bate’s Motel, and not at Norman Bates’ house.”
"Kent alumna older than KSU" by Bethany Jones, kentwired dot com July 27, 2005
Mildred Bumphrey turns 100
Mildred Bumphrey, 100, is one of the oldest Kent State Alums.
Credit: Beth Rankin
"She was born the same year that Albert Einstein published his theory of relativity and made the equation E=mc2 famous. She has lived through 18 presidents, two world wars and the invention of electricity, radio, television and the microwave oven. She was born before Kent State was even a college and was present when the first brick was laid at McGilvrey hall. She is Mildred Elgin Bumphrey, one of the oldest Kent State alums, and she turned 100 yesterday. Bumphrey does not like a lot of attention, but she is learning to cope with it. “People keep telling me you only turn 100 once,” she said. She attributes her good health and mind to staying busy. “I’ve always been the busiest woman on the block,” she said. “Apparently I have good genes. I never had bad habits and I always tried to eat and exercise with moderation and judgment.” Bumphrey grew up in Kent where some of her fondest memories include her best friend Louise McGilvrey, daughter of John McGilvrey, president of Kent State from 1912 to 1944. Bumphrey said she remembers she and Louise sitting next to McGilvrey in the Kent Auditorium in front of the trustees, deans and faculty members. “I remember how wonderful the McGilvreys were to me,” she said. “I was just a spoiled, spoiled girl because Louise was my friend. “I had to kill myself to keep up with her. It gave me a very good education.” Bumphrey graduated from high school in 1923 and went on to the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. She graduated from Eastman in 1928 and later from Kent State with a Bachelor of Science in music education and a minor in art. She always wanted to go to school for music and she had to learn how to play numerous instruments. Her main focus was the violin. Mary Sue Hyatt, interim director at the Hugh A. Glauser School of Music, said that although Bumphrey does not consider herself a great violinist, she is. “She’s a wonderful role model for anyone any age,” she said. “She’s a pillar in the community and a pillar of strength. I wish her many more happy birthdays.” Bumphrey said after college she taught music for three years at a junior high in Rochester. She was then offered a teaching position in Kent. She moved back to the area and taught as supervisor of music and art at Theodore Roosevelt High School from 1931 to 1939. She was also the first woman elected to the Kent Board of Education, where she served two terms from 1948 to 1955. The board of education honored her in 2004 by naming a room inside the Depeyster Building the Mildred Elgin Bumphrey Board Room. Jim Myers, who served on the Kent Board of Education, and his wife, Sally, both said Bumphrey is an amazing woman. “She’s a delightful woman, it has been a privilege knowing her,” Jim said. Bumphrey also worked as the director of the young people’s choir at the United Church of Christ for 22 years. “She had a youth choir here that was absolutely fantastic,” said Luella Blair, a volunteer at United Church of Christ. “She’s a wonderful story teller, so articulate. She’s just a wonderful friend.” Bumphrey said that when she married her husband Cecil in 1939 she stopped working. Sue Hodge, secretary at United Church of Christ, said that seeing the Bumphreys together inspired her. “They were such a wonderful couple,” she said. “You can tell that they adored each other. I was fortunate to have gotten to know Cecil before he passed. They were both just wonderful people.” In 2000, Kent State presented Bumphrey with the Distinguished Alumna Award for career achievement in music education. Bumphrey is modest about her accomplishments. “I’m really just one of the girls,” she said. “I’ve been fortunate.” She said she does not feel like she is 100. “I don’t know how you’re supposed to feel at 70, and I don’t know how you’re supposed to feel at 100,” she said. “I don’t hurt any place at all.” Bumphrey said she is thankful that her mind is in good condition. She never stops using it and thinks that has helped her along the years. Bumphrey enjoys knitting and makes almost all of her clothes. She won third place this year at the Stow Monroe Falls Public Library spring needlework show. Bumphrey now lives at Stow-Glen Retirement Village where she says the staff takes excellent care of her. She said she wouldn’t be where she is today without the friends she has had and the wonderful people at Stow-Glen. Kay Keller, co-director of independent living at Stow-Glen, said that it is hard to believe that Bumphrey is 100. “We love her,” she said. “She’s just an outstanding lady. There’s no one that she dislikes. She is very intelligent and just a sharp woman.” About 18 guests came to celebrate with Bumphrey Thursday night as she was honored by the Delta Gammas, the sorority she belonged to when she went to Kent State. She is the oldest chapter member and a charter member of the Gamma Epsilon chapter. Rachel Slitpy, president of the Kent Delta Gamma alumni chapter, said that Bumphrey was presented with a proclamation on behalf of the national president of the fraternity. The chapter has even established a scholarship in her name. Slitpy said Bumphrey also received an album full of cards given by members who could not make the ceremony. “We were thrilled to celebrate this milestone with Mildred; she is truly an inspiration,” Slitpy said. Bumphrey celebrated her birthday on Saturday with a small group of immediate relatives. She had a small dinner party Sunday night and an open house yesterday from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at Stow-Glen where friends from the university and the community were invited to celebrate. “I don’t want that regular, old, dry yellow or white cake,” she said. “There a lot of things I like better.” Instead, Bumphrey asked to have Boston cream pie on Sunday and carrot cake yesterday. Bumphrey said that life is beautiful and that providing services to others is very important to her. “You come into the world alone and you leave alone. It’s up to you to make the most if it,” she said. “It’s up to you to give something back to the world.”
"Mildred Bumphrey, 101, a lifetime resident of Kent, died Wednesday, November 29, 2006 at Stow Glen Retirement Center. She was born July 26, 1905, in Kent to G. Frank and Mary (Foote) Elgin, and was a descendant of the founding families of Brimfield. She graduated from both the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York and Kent Normal School College (Kent State University) in 1928. She was a Kent State University Delta Gamma Sorority charter member, a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society since 1938, a member of Coterie Two, as well as the Kent State University President's Club and Kent State University Orchestra Society. She served as a member of the Kent Board of Education from 1948 to 1955, and was the Director of the Youth Choir at the United Church of Christ for twenty-two years. Most recently she served as the Honorary Chairwoman of the Kent Bicentennial Celebration.
She is survived by her nephews and nieces, David (Michelle) Fenn of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, John (Sara) Fenn of McArthur, California, Stephen (Diane) Anderson of Naples, Florida, Susan (Gary) Jackson of Wall Lake, Michigan, Gail (Robert) McNeil of Hilton Head Island, S.C., Jay Tetlow of Hilton Head Island, S.C., Al Tetlow of Canfield, Ohio, and Marti Willits of Hilton Head Island, S.C., and many grandnieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Cecil Bumphrey; son, Robert Bumphrey; and sisters, Alice Fenn and Mary Elizabeth Anderson. Memorial services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, December 9, 2006, at The United Church of Christ of Kent, with Rev. Dr. Terri Young and Rev. Kim Barnett officiating. Private burial will be at Standing Rock Cemetery in Kent. Memorial contributions may be made to Kent Free Library Foundation, P.O. Box 684, Kent, OH 44240 or United Church of Christ Of Kent, Music Fund, 1427 Horning Road, Kent, OH 44240. Bissler & Sons Funeral Home and Crematory are handling the arrangements."
- Akron Beacon Journal Dec. 1, 2006
1905 Jul 26 birth Franklin Twp
Mildred Marie Elgin
father Geo. Frank Elgin
mother Mary Lincoln Foote
1910 Census, Franklin, Portage, Ohio
Elgin, George F., 32, b. Ohio
-, Mary F., 31
-, Mildred M., 4
-, Alice L, 2
Foote, Alice U, 66, mother-in-law
Queen, Dale, 18, boarder
1920 Census, Franklin, Portage, Ohio
Elgin, G Frank, 42, b. Ohio
-, Mary, 41, b. Ohio
-, Mildred, 14
-, Alice, 12
-, Mary Elizabeth, 3
Foote, Alice, 74, mother-in-law, b. Ohio
1940 Census, Kent, Portage, Ohio
Bumphrey, Cecil H., 37, b. Illinois
-, Mildred, 34 b. Ohio
-, Robert E., 0, b. Ohio
2006 Dec 1 obituary, Akron Beacon Journal
Mildred Bumphrey
2006 Class Notes, In Memorium, University of Rochester
Alumni
Mildred Elgin Bumphrey, '28E, November 2006
age 101, widowed
5+ years of college
father Elgin
mother Foote
Additional biographical info in newsletters of the Kent Historical Society, at kentohiohistory dot com. You can also see many of her family history artifacts at the Kent Historical Society museum on East Main St.
Also on kentwired dot com, "Kent Alumna Older Than KSU" by Bethany Jones
"Kent Residence Provided Killer Inspiration" by Amanda Garrett, July 20, 2005
Kent Wired
"Elgin house source of 'Psycho' set design. The Elgin House once belonged to biology professor Harry A. Cunningham and has played host to rumors inciting Psycho enthusiasts to visit the old house. It is surrounded by trees and shrouded in legend. For years, rumors have swirled about the big green house on the hill in Kent. Locals and Kent State students have gossiped about hauntings at 233 Columbus St., and the home’s connection to the 1960 film Psycho. The Elgin House, as it is known in historical circles, does have a connection to the Alfred Hitchcock horror classic, said Mildred Bumphrey, who lived in the Elgin House as a child. During the 1940s, biology professor Harry A. Cunningham owned the Elgin house and rented rooms. One of the renters, who may have been Cunningham’s nephew, later worked on the film Psycho, Bumphrey said. He told Bumphrey the home’s Victorian architecture inspired him to create the dilapidated mansion of murderous mama’s boy Norman Bates. “He remembered the high ceilings and the circular staircase and how the house set way up on a hill,” said Bumphrey, who was unable to remember the name of the Psycho crew member. Many false stories about the Elgin House sprang up after the May 4th shootings, Kent Historical Society Executive Director Guy Pernetti said. Kent was inundated with national journalists, including famous author James Michener. who wrote a book about Kent. Michener’s book falsely stated that Robert Bloch, who wrote the novel Psycho, lived in the Elgin House, Pernetti said. When asked about the truth of the rumors Bloch denied ever having visited Kent, and added that he based his book on a series of murders in his native Wisconsin. The current owners of the Elgin House, John and Pam Vanags, are used to film fanatics making pilgrimages to see their home. “When I was younger there were always people coming up to the house,” said the Vanags’ daughter Katrina. “People would always ask, ‘Aren’t you afraid to use the shower?’ We were getting kind of sick of it after awhile.” Bumphrey, who will be 100 years old on Tuesday, remembers her childhood home as a happy place. She was born at the Elgin house, which her grandfather built in 1867. “My Grandfather Freeman Underwood was one of the founding citizens of Brimfield,” she said. “He wanted a big house on a hill, so he went out and bought himself one.” Bumphrey lived in the house while she majored in music and art at Kent State. “My best memories of the house are that it was always filled with music,” said Bumphrey, who worked at the Daily Kent Stater. “My father built a conservatory for me to practice the violin. I also loved the beautiful circular stairway and the library filled with books. Katrina Vanags said she has an easy answer for the teasing of some of her schoolmates. "My mother told me to tell people that the murders occurred at the Bate’s Motel, and not at Norman Bates’ house.”
"Kent alumna older than KSU" by Bethany Jones, kentwired dot com July 27, 2005
Mildred Bumphrey turns 100
Mildred Bumphrey, 100, is one of the oldest Kent State Alums.
Credit: Beth Rankin
"She was born the same year that Albert Einstein published his theory of relativity and made the equation E=mc2 famous. She has lived through 18 presidents, two world wars and the invention of electricity, radio, television and the microwave oven. She was born before Kent State was even a college and was present when the first brick was laid at McGilvrey hall. She is Mildred Elgin Bumphrey, one of the oldest Kent State alums, and she turned 100 yesterday. Bumphrey does not like a lot of attention, but she is learning to cope with it. “People keep telling me you only turn 100 once,” she said. She attributes her good health and mind to staying busy. “I’ve always been the busiest woman on the block,” she said. “Apparently I have good genes. I never had bad habits and I always tried to eat and exercise with moderation and judgment.” Bumphrey grew up in Kent where some of her fondest memories include her best friend Louise McGilvrey, daughter of John McGilvrey, president of Kent State from 1912 to 1944. Bumphrey said she remembers she and Louise sitting next to McGilvrey in the Kent Auditorium in front of the trustees, deans and faculty members. “I remember how wonderful the McGilvreys were to me,” she said. “I was just a spoiled, spoiled girl because Louise was my friend. “I had to kill myself to keep up with her. It gave me a very good education.” Bumphrey graduated from high school in 1923 and went on to the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. She graduated from Eastman in 1928 and later from Kent State with a Bachelor of Science in music education and a minor in art. She always wanted to go to school for music and she had to learn how to play numerous instruments. Her main focus was the violin. Mary Sue Hyatt, interim director at the Hugh A. Glauser School of Music, said that although Bumphrey does not consider herself a great violinist, she is. “She’s a wonderful role model for anyone any age,” she said. “She’s a pillar in the community and a pillar of strength. I wish her many more happy birthdays.” Bumphrey said after college she taught music for three years at a junior high in Rochester. She was then offered a teaching position in Kent. She moved back to the area and taught as supervisor of music and art at Theodore Roosevelt High School from 1931 to 1939. She was also the first woman elected to the Kent Board of Education, where she served two terms from 1948 to 1955. The board of education honored her in 2004 by naming a room inside the Depeyster Building the Mildred Elgin Bumphrey Board Room. Jim Myers, who served on the Kent Board of Education, and his wife, Sally, both said Bumphrey is an amazing woman. “She’s a delightful woman, it has been a privilege knowing her,” Jim said. Bumphrey also worked as the director of the young people’s choir at the United Church of Christ for 22 years. “She had a youth choir here that was absolutely fantastic,” said Luella Blair, a volunteer at United Church of Christ. “She’s a wonderful story teller, so articulate. She’s just a wonderful friend.” Bumphrey said that when she married her husband Cecil in 1939 she stopped working. Sue Hodge, secretary at United Church of Christ, said that seeing the Bumphreys together inspired her. “They were such a wonderful couple,” she said. “You can tell that they adored each other. I was fortunate to have gotten to know Cecil before he passed. They were both just wonderful people.” In 2000, Kent State presented Bumphrey with the Distinguished Alumna Award for career achievement in music education. Bumphrey is modest about her accomplishments. “I’m really just one of the girls,” she said. “I’ve been fortunate.” She said she does not feel like she is 100. “I don’t know how you’re supposed to feel at 70, and I don’t know how you’re supposed to feel at 100,” she said. “I don’t hurt any place at all.” Bumphrey said she is thankful that her mind is in good condition. She never stops using it and thinks that has helped her along the years. Bumphrey enjoys knitting and makes almost all of her clothes. She won third place this year at the Stow Monroe Falls Public Library spring needlework show. Bumphrey now lives at Stow-Glen Retirement Village where she says the staff takes excellent care of her. She said she wouldn’t be where she is today without the friends she has had and the wonderful people at Stow-Glen. Kay Keller, co-director of independent living at Stow-Glen, said that it is hard to believe that Bumphrey is 100. “We love her,” she said. “She’s just an outstanding lady. There’s no one that she dislikes. She is very intelligent and just a sharp woman.” About 18 guests came to celebrate with Bumphrey Thursday night as she was honored by the Delta Gammas, the sorority she belonged to when she went to Kent State. She is the oldest chapter member and a charter member of the Gamma Epsilon chapter. Rachel Slitpy, president of the Kent Delta Gamma alumni chapter, said that Bumphrey was presented with a proclamation on behalf of the national president of the fraternity. The chapter has even established a scholarship in her name. Slitpy said Bumphrey also received an album full of cards given by members who could not make the ceremony. “We were thrilled to celebrate this milestone with Mildred; she is truly an inspiration,” Slitpy said. Bumphrey celebrated her birthday on Saturday with a small group of immediate relatives. She had a small dinner party Sunday night and an open house yesterday from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at Stow-Glen where friends from the university and the community were invited to celebrate. “I don’t want that regular, old, dry yellow or white cake,” she said. “There a lot of things I like better.” Instead, Bumphrey asked to have Boston cream pie on Sunday and carrot cake yesterday. Bumphrey said that life is beautiful and that providing services to others is very important to her. “You come into the world alone and you leave alone. It’s up to you to make the most if it,” she said. “It’s up to you to give something back to the world.”
She is survived by her nephews and nieces, David (Michelle) Fenn of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, John (Sara) Fenn of McArthur, California, Stephen (Diane) Anderson of Naples, Florida, Susan (Gary) Jackson of Wall Lake, Michigan, Gail (Robert) McNeil of Hilton Head Island, S.C., Jay Tetlow of Hilton Head Island, S.C., Al Tetlow of Canfield, Ohio, and Marti Willits of Hilton Head Island, S.C., and many grandnieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Cecil Bumphrey; son, Robert Bumphrey; and sisters, Alice Fenn and Mary Elizabeth Anderson. Memorial services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, December 9, 2006, at The United Church of Christ of Kent, with Rev. Dr. Terri Young and Rev. Kim Barnett officiating. Private burial will be at Standing Rock Cemetery in Kent. Memorial contributions may be made to Kent Free Library Foundation, P.O. Box 684, Kent, OH 44240 or United Church of Christ Of Kent, Music Fund, 1427 Horning Road, Kent, OH 44240. Bissler & Sons Funeral Home and Crematory are handling the arrangements."
- Akron Beacon Journal Dec. 1, 2006
1905 Jul 26 birth Franklin Twp
Mildred Marie Elgin
father Geo. Frank Elgin
mother Mary Lincoln Foote
1910 Census, Franklin, Portage, Ohio
Elgin, George F., 32, b. Ohio
-, Mary F., 31
-, Mildred M., 4
-, Alice L, 2
Foote, Alice U, 66, mother-in-law
Queen, Dale, 18, boarder
1920 Census, Franklin, Portage, Ohio
Elgin, G Frank, 42, b. Ohio
-, Mary, 41, b. Ohio
-, Mildred, 14
-, Alice, 12
-, Mary Elizabeth, 3
Foote, Alice, 74, mother-in-law, b. Ohio
1940 Census, Kent, Portage, Ohio
Bumphrey, Cecil H., 37, b. Illinois
-, Mildred, 34 b. Ohio
-, Robert E., 0, b. Ohio
2006 Dec 1 obituary, Akron Beacon Journal
Mildred Bumphrey
2006 Class Notes, In Memorium, University of Rochester
Alumni
Mildred Elgin Bumphrey, '28E, November 2006
age 101, widowed
5+ years of college
father Elgin
mother Foote
Additional biographical info in newsletters of the Kent Historical Society, at kentohiohistory dot com. You can also see many of her family history artifacts at the Kent Historical Society museum on East Main St.
Also on kentwired dot com, "Kent Alumna Older Than KSU" by Bethany Jones
"Kent Residence Provided Killer Inspiration" by Amanda Garrett, July 20, 2005
Kent Wired
"Elgin house source of 'Psycho' set design. The Elgin House once belonged to biology professor Harry A. Cunningham and has played host to rumors inciting Psycho enthusiasts to visit the old house. It is surrounded by trees and shrouded in legend. For years, rumors have swirled about the big green house on the hill in Kent. Locals and Kent State students have gossiped about hauntings at 233 Columbus St., and the home’s connection to the 1960 film Psycho. The Elgin House, as it is known in historical circles, does have a connection to the Alfred Hitchcock horror classic, said Mildred Bumphrey, who lived in the Elgin House as a child. During the 1940s, biology professor Harry A. Cunningham owned the Elgin house and rented rooms. One of the renters, who may have been Cunningham’s nephew, later worked on the film Psycho, Bumphrey said. He told Bumphrey the home’s Victorian architecture inspired him to create the dilapidated mansion of murderous mama’s boy Norman Bates. “He remembered the high ceilings and the circular staircase and how the house set way up on a hill,” said Bumphrey, who was unable to remember the name of the Psycho crew member. Many false stories about the Elgin House sprang up after the May 4th shootings, Kent Historical Society Executive Director Guy Pernetti said. Kent was inundated with national journalists, including famous author James Michener. who wrote a book about Kent. Michener’s book falsely stated that Robert Bloch, who wrote the novel Psycho, lived in the Elgin House, Pernetti said. When asked about the truth of the rumors Bloch denied ever having visited Kent, and added that he based his book on a series of murders in his native Wisconsin. The current owners of the Elgin House, John and Pam Vanags, are used to film fanatics making pilgrimages to see their home. “When I was younger there were always people coming up to the house,” said the Vanags’ daughter Katrina. “People would always ask, ‘Aren’t you afraid to use the shower?’ We were getting kind of sick of it after awhile.” Bumphrey, who will be 100 years old on Tuesday, remembers her childhood home as a happy place. She was born at the Elgin house, which her grandfather built in 1867. “My Grandfather Freeman Underwood was one of the founding citizens of Brimfield,” she said. “He wanted a big house on a hill, so he went out and bought himself one.” Bumphrey lived in the house while she majored in music and art at Kent State. “My best memories of the house are that it was always filled with music,” said Bumphrey, who worked at the Daily Kent Stater. “My father built a conservatory for me to practice the violin. I also loved the beautiful circular stairway and the library filled with books. Katrina Vanags said she has an easy answer for the teasing of some of her schoolmates. "My mother told me to tell people that the murders occurred at the Bate’s Motel, and not at Norman Bates’ house.”
"Kent alumna older than KSU" by Bethany Jones, kentwired dot com July 27, 2005
Mildred Bumphrey turns 100
Mildred Bumphrey, 100, is one of the oldest Kent State Alums.
Credit: Beth Rankin
"She was born the same year that Albert Einstein published his theory of relativity and made the equation E=mc2 famous. She has lived through 18 presidents, two world wars and the invention of electricity, radio, television and the microwave oven. She was born before Kent State was even a college and was present when the first brick was laid at McGilvrey hall. She is Mildred Elgin Bumphrey, one of the oldest Kent State alums, and she turned 100 yesterday. Bumphrey does not like a lot of attention, but she is learning to cope with it. “People keep telling me you only turn 100 once,” she said. She attributes her good health and mind to staying busy. “I’ve always been the busiest woman on the block,” she said. “Apparently I have good genes. I never had bad habits and I always tried to eat and exercise with moderation and judgment.” Bumphrey grew up in Kent where some of her fondest memories include her best friend Louise McGilvrey, daughter of John McGilvrey, president of Kent State from 1912 to 1944. Bumphrey said she remembers she and Louise sitting next to McGilvrey in the Kent Auditorium in front of the trustees, deans and faculty members. “I remember how wonderful the McGilvreys were to me,” she said. “I was just a spoiled, spoiled girl because Louise was my friend. “I had to kill myself to keep up with her. It gave me a very good education.” Bumphrey graduated from high school in 1923 and went on to the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. She graduated from Eastman in 1928 and later from Kent State with a Bachelor of Science in music education and a minor in art. She always wanted to go to school for music and she had to learn how to play numerous instruments. Her main focus was the violin. Mary Sue Hyatt, interim director at the Hugh A. Glauser School of Music, said that although Bumphrey does not consider herself a great violinist, she is. “She’s a wonderful role model for anyone any age,” she said. “She’s a pillar in the community and a pillar of strength. I wish her many more happy birthdays.” Bumphrey said after college she taught music for three years at a junior high in Rochester. She was then offered a teaching position in Kent. She moved back to the area and taught as supervisor of music and art at Theodore Roosevelt High School from 1931 to 1939. She was also the first woman elected to the Kent Board of Education, where she served two terms from 1948 to 1955. The board of education honored her in 2004 by naming a room inside the Depeyster Building the Mildred Elgin Bumphrey Board Room. Jim Myers, who served on the Kent Board of Education, and his wife, Sally, both said Bumphrey is an amazing woman. “She’s a delightful woman, it has been a privilege knowing her,” Jim said. Bumphrey also worked as the director of the young people’s choir at the United Church of Christ for 22 years. “She had a youth choir here that was absolutely fantastic,” said Luella Blair, a volunteer at United Church of Christ. “She’s a wonderful story teller, so articulate. She’s just a wonderful friend.” Bumphrey said that when she married her husband Cecil in 1939 she stopped working. Sue Hodge, secretary at United Church of Christ, said that seeing the Bumphreys together inspired her. “They were such a wonderful couple,” she said. “You can tell that they adored each other. I was fortunate to have gotten to know Cecil before he passed. They were both just wonderful people.” In 2000, Kent State presented Bumphrey with the Distinguished Alumna Award for career achievement in music education. Bumphrey is modest about her accomplishments. “I’m really just one of the girls,” she said. “I’ve been fortunate.” She said she does not feel like she is 100. “I don’t know how you’re supposed to feel at 70, and I don’t know how you’re supposed to feel at 100,” she said. “I don’t hurt any place at all.” Bumphrey said she is thankful that her mind is in good condition. She never stops using it and thinks that has helped her along the years. Bumphrey enjoys knitting and makes almost all of her clothes. She won third place this year at the Stow Monroe Falls Public Library spring needlework show. Bumphrey now lives at Stow-Glen Retirement Village where she says the staff takes excellent care of her. She said she wouldn’t be where she is today without the friends she has had and the wonderful people at Stow-Glen. Kay Keller, co-director of independent living at Stow-Glen, said that it is hard to believe that Bumphrey is 100. “We love her,” she said. “She’s just an outstanding lady. There’s no one that she dislikes. She is very intelligent and just a sharp woman.” About 18 guests came to celebrate with Bumphrey Thursday night as she was honored by the Delta Gammas, the sorority she belonged to when she went to Kent State. She is the oldest chapter member and a charter member of the Gamma Epsilon chapter. Rachel Slitpy, president of the Kent Delta Gamma alumni chapter, said that Bumphrey was presented with a proclamation on behalf of the national president of the fraternity. The chapter has even established a scholarship in her name. Slitpy said Bumphrey also received an album full of cards given by members who could not make the ceremony. “We were thrilled to celebrate this milestone with Mildred; she is truly an inspiration,” Slitpy said. Bumphrey celebrated her birthday on Saturday with a small group of immediate relatives. She had a small dinner party Sunday night and an open house yesterday from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at Stow-Glen where friends from the university and the community were invited to celebrate. “I don’t want that regular, old, dry yellow or white cake,” she said. “There a lot of things I like better.” Instead, Bumphrey asked to have Boston cream pie on Sunday and carrot cake yesterday. Bumphrey said that life is beautiful and that providing services to others is very important to her. “You come into the world alone and you leave alone. It’s up to you to make the most if it,” she said. “It’s up to you to give something back to the world.”
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