Arthur 'Art' Louis Dumke, 91, of Wellington, died Monday, May 30, 2011 at Mercy Allen Hospital in Oberlin. A son of the late Eric and Louise (nee Schmidt) Dumke, Art was born in Cleveland on December 22, 1919. He graduated from Wellington High School in 1939 and took tool design courses while attending Lorain County Community College. Art was stationed in the Asian Pacific, mainly Iwo Jima and Okinawa, while he served in the Navy during World War II.
He worked at Sectional Tool and Dye, formerly in Wellington, and retired from Ridge Tool of Wellington in 1982 after 15 years of employment. Art was a member of the First Baptist Church of Wellington and enjoyed golfing.
Survivors include his wife of 68 years, Estella 'Jill' (nee Grissinger); children, Arthur (Lorraine) Dumke, Jr., of Vermillion and Michelle Star, of Cleveland; 2 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. Art is also survived by his sisters, Edna Hill, of Wellington, Elsie Hammond, of Lorain, Eleanore Repp, of Ashland, and Elizabeth Gemmel, of Norwalk and a brother, Eric Dumke, of Las Vegas. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Vickie Garn; grandson, Jeff Garn; and sisters, Betty Jane, who died in infancy, Elaine Hovanitz, Thelma Neilson and Doris Manning.
Friends will be received on Thursday, June 2 from 2:00 -4:00 p.m. and 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Norton-Eastman Funeral Home, 370 S. Main St., Wellington. Funeral services will be Friday at 11:00 a.m. at the First Baptist Church of Wellington, 125 Grand Ave., with Rev. Thomas Alexander officiating. Burial with military rites will follow at Greenwood Cemetery, Wellington. If desired, donations may be made in memory of Art to the First Baptist Church of Wellington.