Earl "Jeff" Mummert

Jeff was born at his grandfather’s farm near Hanover, Pennsylvania on December 13, 1927. He was the second of three sons and was blessed with a kid sister when he was 16. His parents were John and Florence Wagner Mummert. Jeff had over a dozen aunts and uncles and many cousins. They lived in a tenant house on the farm with no heat, electric or plumbing except an indoor water pump.

He enjoyed his youth doing chores and playing with his large family. He, his brother John and a young aunt would ride the old plow horse to the one room school house where the horse was blanketed waiting for the trip home at 3 PM.

Wanting more than a farm life, his family moved to town where his father worked at the Hanover Shoe Company and his mother for Murphy’s 5&10 store. He remembers many hobbies – all related to daily needs and not costing a penny. Their new home enjoyed electricity and water but the outhouse was still very cold in PA winters.

Upon entry to Eichelberger High School Jeff was employed as an apprentice barber in one of the shops in town. This was a talent the Navy utilized when he enlisted a few weeks after graduation in 1945. Basic training was during a cold Chicago winter at the Great Lakes Naval Training Base. He was assigned to the Navy Yard in Washington DC where he cut the hair of admirals and other officers. Then he was transferred to the Anacostia River receiving station to cut the hair of men and women inductees. Next he was shipped to the Indian Head Naval Power Factory in Maryland. He barbered the Marines protecting this facility which produced smokeless gunpowder and developed rocket fuel. Frogmen there were trained in underwater demolition and later became the Navy SEALS.

Jeff was honorably discharged and married his high school sweetheart, Anna Cleveland, on September 7, 1947. They moved to Baltimore MD, about an hour from Hanover, where Jeff enrolled in the American Academy of Beauty. The GI Bill helped with tuition and a living stipend as well as art classes to enhance his appreciation of balance, outline and volume. This launched a successful career as a beauty salon entrepreneur in the shopping centers developing around suburban Baltimore.

Before he moved to Sarasota FL in 1967 he employed over 50 hairstylists in multiple salons. In Sarasota he had two successful salons before retiring in 1987.

Jeff and Anna enjoyed an active and adventurous life together for 43 years. They loved camping, travel, animals and boating; and raised two children in that lifestyle – Dee Anna and Earl II. Travel trailers, motorhomes, horse trailers, dog shows, the latest cool car and boats were always a part of the family’s active life. They bred, trained and won many ribbons with their Appaloosa mare and foals.

Dogs were a big part of the family too.

Jeff was a devoted husband and father, caring for Anna during her four year battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s). She died in 1990 and twenty years later Jeff’s daughter Dee died of ALS also. He provided strength and support through both ordeals.

Jeff loved being on the water and was an active member of the U.S Power Squadron at the Baltimore Yacht Club and the Sarasota Power Squadron. From teaching Advanced Piloting in the days before GPS to acting as Treasurer of District 22 and a member of the national Governing Board, Jeff was dedicated to the U.S.P.S. He received his 50 year membership certificate in 2013 and was up for Life membership in 2017. He was also Commodore of the Sarasota Outboard Club in 1967.

Joyce Hurkman and her husband were also members of the Sarasota Outboard Club in the early 1970’s.

In 2000, after the death of their spouses, Jeff and Joyce met again at an S.O.C reunion, started dating and were married November 30, 2002. It was a late life match made in heaven. Mutual respect grew into deep love and caring. Joyce’s family of seven girls took him into their flock with open arms and Jeff enjoyed 15 wonderful golden years among them. Celebrating special occasions, family dinners, the theater and outings to other parts of Florida, with the family, enhanced Jeff’s life immensely.

Jeff and Joyce also experienced many other adventures together. Trips to Hawaii, Alaska, Nevada, the BVIs, Wisconsin, New England and most of the other states were indicative of a very active lifestyle well into their mid-80s.

Religion was an important aspect of their relationship also. While he was brought up as a Lutheran and remained an active Protestant, Joyce was a devout Catholic who actually spent her teen years in the Convent. Jeff converted to Catholicism and read the Catholic Missal daily. Many interesting discussions ensued following those readings.

Jeff is survived by his loving wife, Joyce Hurkman Mummert of Bradenton FL; his son and daughter-in-law, Earl & Margaret Mummert of Lyme, CT and their children Brian and Anya; brother and sister-in-law, Stede and Harriet Mummert of PA; sister and brother-in-law, Judy and Ray Mason of VA; his grand-daughter and son-in-law Angela & Chabel Jiminez; Joyce's daughters and sons-in-law, Mary & Randy Miller, Susan & Doug Brzostowski, Sandra & Bill Sparks of TX, Barbara Hurkman, Kathy Brondoni, Janice Taylor, Joanne Morris, 9 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife Anna, daughter Dee, his parents and older brother.

Friends may visit with the family from 5:30 to 8:00 PM on Friday, November 4, 2016 at Manasota Funeral Home, 1221 53rd Ave East.

A memorial mass will be conducted at 11 am on Sat. Nov. 5, 2016, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 3100 26th St West, Bradenton, FL.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the American Cancer Society or your own favorite

charity, in Jeff’s name.