Phyllis “Jean” Rumney
Nov. 21, 1924-Sept. 8, 2020
Phyllis “Jean” Rumney,
age 95, of Minot, ND and
longtime resident of
Kirksville, MO, passed
away at Trinity Homes
nursing home in Minot on
September 8, 2020.
Jean was born at home
in Ypsilanti, MI on No-
vember 21, 1924, to Dan
and Thalia (Graichen)
Ohlinger. She was raised
and educated in Ypsilanti.
At the age of 17, she
designed the winning in-
signia, “The Spirit of
Ypsilanti”, for the first
B-24 airplane from the
Ford Willow Run bomber
plant to be carried into
battle during the Second
World War.
Jean attended Michigan
State Normal College
(now Eastern Michigan
University) where she re-
ceived her degree in Art
Education with a minor in
Music in 1947. She was a
member of the Sigma Nu
Phi sorority, Eastern Star,
and the American Legion
Auxiliary.
After graduation, Jean
taught art in the public
schools of Ypsilanti and
was organist for the First
Baptist Church. She later
became an office medical
assistant to Dr. Ira C.
Rumney, Doctor of Osteo-
pathy, in Ann Arbor, MI.
On December 27, 1958,
she and Ira were married.
They remained married
until his death on October
4th, 1978.
In 1961, Jean and her
family moved to Kirks-
ville, MO where her hus-
band received a position
at the Kirksville College of
Osteopathic Medicine
(now A.T. Still Universi-
ty) and later served on the
board of admissions. Jean
and her family were
proud and active
members of the First Bap-
tist Church in Kirksville.
Jean enjoyed art, music,
and nurturing house
plants. She was well
known for crafting hun-
dreds of incredible Fa-
berge style eggs of all
sizes, which she created
with great care. Jean loved
playing and listening to
classical music. She
shared this passion with
her children and
grandchildren, many of
whom went on to study
music at the collegiate
level. Jean was also
known for her incredible
green thumb, observable
in every window of her
home.
In 2009, Jean relocated
to Minot, ND in order to
be near her son Jon, his
wife, the late Lynne Rum-
ney, and her grand-
daughter, Danica. Jean en-
joyed her time living at
Somerset Court assisted
living. She relished con-
certs at Minot State
University and services at
Vincent United Methodist
Church.
Jean is preceded in
death by: her parents Dan
and Thalia Ohlinger, hus-
band Dr. Ira C. Rumney,
niece Phyllis Harris,
sister-in-law Esther Ohl-
inger, and
daughter-in-law Lynne
Rumney.
She is survived by: her
brother Richard (Jacque-
line) Ohlinger of Cincin-
nati, OH; children Don
(Linda) Rumney of Kansas
City, KS, Erna (Stephen)
Buckles of Liberty Hill,
TX, and Jon Rumney of
Minot, ND; grandchildren
Anna Katherine (Dan)
Serber of Louisville, KY,
Robert (Conner) Buckles
of Borger, TX, Stephen
Joseph Buckles Jr. of
Leander, TX, and Danica
Rumney of Minot, ND;
and great grandchildren
Ara Buckles and Oliver
Buckles of Borger, TX.
Phyllis Jean Rumney
will be privately interred
at Park View Memorial
Gardens alongside her
husband in Kirksville,
MO. Jean’s family is at
peace, knowing full well
that her faith was in the
Lord.
Arrangements in care of
the Thomas Family Fun-
eral Home, Minot.
Memories and con-
dolences can be shared at
www.thomasfamily
funeralhome.com.