George E. Mumm, 90
George Edward Peter Mumm passed away at Immanuel Lutheran Communities in Kalispell on March 21 of natural causes, surrounded by family.
He was born February 19, 1933, at his family’s farm near Lidgerwood, North Dakota, to George and Evelyn (Thorson) Mumm. He grew up the eldest of six children on the farm, attended school in Lidgerwood, and in 1953, entered the U.S. Army. Following his honorable discharge, he enrolled at North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota, and graduated in 1959 with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.
While attending college, he met the love of his life, Theora Svalstad, at a country dance. They married August 30, 1958, at Grace Lutheran Church in Sisseton, South Dakota. Following his graduation in 1959, he accepted a job with the U.S. Forest Service in Great Falls. Four years later, he was transferred to Billings. While living there, he acquired several quarter horses and pack mules for trips into the wilderness in the summer and for autumn hunting. He has always been an avid hunter and was a very friendly and generous host of many hunting pack trips for friends and relatives who shared his love of the sport. He also got his beloved wife interested in big game hunting so she could go with him when his buddies weren’t available.
In 1969, he transferred to the regional Forest Service office in Missoula. Soon after, he and Theora purchased an old homestead with acreage for their horses and mules at Rollins, Montana. They quickly made fast friends of folks in the Rollins community.
In 1972, he transferred to Anchorage with a job in the U.S. Public Health Service. His work took him to numerous Alaskan villages from Barrow to the Arctic Ocean to the Aleutian Islands, Kenai and Sitka. The years of hunting and fishing in Alaska were a dream come true for him. It was also during this time both his children were born.
After retirement in 1982, the family settled in the Flathead Valley, where he worked as a part-time engineer with FEMA, called to help in times of natural disasters. He started hobby ranching and had Texas longhorn cattle, saddle horses and pack mules at the acreage in Rollins. He resumed pack trips in the summer and hunting in the fall, and this time, on many of those trips, he had his children in tow.
George was a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, a registered land surveyor, and was active in social organizations, such as American Legion, Toastmasters, Back Country Horsemen and square dance clubs.
He was a lifetime member of the Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod, and for the last 40 years, a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Kalispell, where he served on various boards and committees.
George was preceded in death by his parents, George and Evelyn; his parents-in-law, Adolph and Cassie Svalstad; two sisters and three brothers-in-law, Connie (Art Waswick), LaVon (Hal Juba) and Fred Paul.
He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Theora; a daughter, Torri (Jonathan Lifland) of Falls Church, Virginia; a son, George Tyone (Anne Thorne) of Kalispell; as well as two sisters, Berdelle (Ken) Boobar of Great Falls and Goldie Paul of Cottage Grove, Minnesota; and a brother, Greg (Irene) Mumm of Hankinson, North Dakota; two brothers-in-law, Carmen and Barb Svalstad of Traverse City, Michigan and Curtis and Linda Svalstad of Solon, Iowa; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was a devoted and loving husband and father. He will be greatly missed by all. A viewing will be held on Monday, March 27, from 3 to 6 p.m. at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home.
A memorial service will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church on Tuesday, March 28, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran Camp, 400 West California Street, Kalispell, MT 59901, or to Immanuel Foundation Chaplaincy, 185 Crestview Avenue, Kalispell, MT 59901.
The family would like to extend their gratitude and appreciation to the Logan Health Hospice team and the staff at The Retreat at Buffalo Hill Terrace for their dedicated and loving care. Friends are encouraged to visit the website at www.buffalohillfh.com to leave notes of condolences for the family. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home and Crematory caring for the family.
