Christine Bumgarner

Christine never used an alarm clock in her life. Before she went to sleep, she told herself what time she needed to get up, and that is the time she would awaken. She was never late.
If she made a commitment, she kept it. No excuses.
She was unfailingly considerate and tactful, but she wouldn't lie.
She never forgot birthdays or anniversaries, or your favorite food.
She believed that if you did something, you took the time and summoned the patience to do it right.
She was the pianist at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Canton, NC from age 14 to age 21. In the 1940s, gospel groups often traveled without a full-time pianist, and used pianists from the local community for their shows. As one of the best pianists in the area, Christine played with several popular gospel groups when they appeared in the area. She passed on that musical ability to her daughter and to her youngest son.
As a young mom and wife, she managed the family budget and kept us clothed, fed, housed, and happy when a good week was a five dollar surplus after essential bills were paid.
She ferociously defended her children when they were threatened, patched them when they were hurt, glared at them when they took food or drink into her formal living room, and never gave up on them when they were foolish.
She took the high road every time, even when angry and hurt.
She would not gossip, and she did not presume that you needed her advice.
She cared more about making other people happy than she did about her own enjoyment.
She took full-time work after her children were grown, and quickly moved into a supervisory position, which she enjoyed and at which she found several lifelong friends.
She had an iron will that kept her going through everything that life threw at her, including the sudden loss of her 29 year old son Ronnie in 1991.
She made wonderful pumpkin pies, and would make 8 at a time for holidays. On one occasion in the 1990s, she had one mediocre pie due to a bad can of condensed milk. Her son-in-law Dave teased her mercilessly about this for months, so she got even. For Thanksgiving that year, she made her usual run of pies, but she secretly made one for Dave that was loaded with vinegar. When it was time for dessert, she retreated to the kitchen and brought out individual slices for each guest. All slices were identical, but only Dave's slice came from the vinegar pie. Everyone dived in and complemented Christine on the pie except Dave, who grimaced and looked around in confusion, wondering why no one else realized how bad the pie was. It took several minutes before Dave realized he'd been had, and 20 years later he is still nervous when pumpkin pie is served.
In her retirement years, Christine made beautiful quilts, and gave them to her children and grandchildren. She enjoyed mystery novels and jigsaw puzzles and there is a rumor that she enjoyed watching the TV show "Dancing With the Stars".
She loved the Atlanta Braves and watched them nightly during baseball season. In her eighties, she still remembered how many foul balls she had been hit with while faithfully attending her sons' many Little League, Pony League, Babe Ruth league, and high school baseball games.
She had a dignity that you couldn't remove with a firehose. Not the fragile dignity that you assume, but the permanent kind that you earn.
Christine passed away at home with family by her side on November 10, 2016, after a brief illness.
She was strong and quiet and kind, and we will love her always.
Her brother, Gerald Deaver and sister-in-law, Nancy Deaver
Her sister, Ruby Lee Rogers, and brother-in-law, the late Don Rogers.
Her daughter, Rhonda Cook, and son-in-law Dave Cook
Her son, Michael Bumgarner, and daughter-in-law Nanette Bumgarner
Her late son, Ronnie Bumgarner, and daughter-in-law, Stephanie Williams
Her grandchildren;
Amanda Mujbegovic
Amy Bumgarner
Tori Bumgarner
Mitchell Bumgarner
Molly Cook
Her great-granddaughter Gemma Bumgarner.
Her many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews, and long-time friends