MUMMA, Dorothy

The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona ~ May 24, 2007 Dorothy Winship Elam Mumma, 85, of Tucson, died May 10, 2007. After 64 years of marriage, she was predeceased by her husband, John Rathbone Mumma, who died in February. She was the daughter of Burnley Richardson Elam and Ruth McAllister. She is survived by her brother, Burnley Richardson Elam Jr. of Westlake Village, Calif.; his son, retired Army Colonel John Harlan Mumma (Carolyn Goodell) of Ada, Mich.; daughter, Suzanne Mumma Aupperle (Michael L.) of Attleboro, Mass.; two grandchildren John Richard Mumma and Chérie Mumma Beecher; and six great-grandchildren. She was born in New Britain, Conn. Dorothy attended Mount Holyoke College and received a diploma from The Hartford School of Music. When her husband entered the U.S. Army in 1941 and was deployed overseas during World War II, she worked at Pratt and Whitney in Hartford, Conn. She faithfully followed her husband and raised a family during his 22-year Army career until he retired in Phoenix in 1963. She and her husband were active in the Dons Club until 1977 when they moved to Florida. After 15 years they returned to their beloved Southwest, settling in Tucson while maintaining a summer cabin in Pinetop. Dorothy's two great loves throughout her life were her immediate family and her music. She taught piano virtually her entire life. She also enjoyed extensive worldwide travel with her husband and a love of the ballet. Interment with her husband will be in Arlington National Cemetery July 31. Family requests in lieu of flowers, contribution be made in memory of Dorothy E. Mumma to Hartford Conservatory, 834 Asylum Ave., Hartford, CT 06105, or visit www.hartfordconservatory.org.