Dr. James Eno Pumphrey

Long-time resident of Tallahassee, Florida of 60 years, James Eno Pumphrey, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather was called to his heavenly home on February 22, 2020. He was born on March 27, 1931 in New Brunswick, New Jersey to Fred & Gladice Pumphrey. Jim was the only son with three sisters. Many of his childhood memories were spent in either New Jersey or Gainesville, Florida. As a boy, he became interested in playing many sports. While he attended Gainesville High School, he was a two-sport star in baseball and football. His passion and his competitiveness playing sports would intertwine his professional career and his lifestyle. Jim attend Ohio Wesleyan University where he met his wife to be, Lois Jeanne Brock. Once again, he excelled on the field playing half back in football and outfielder in baseball.

Shortly after graduating from college, he married Lois Brock in Oak Park, Illinois. He joined the US Air Force where he served two years in Korea. Upon returning, he continued to pursue his higher education in the profession of dentistry. He attended University of Florida, University of Pennsylvania, and Emory University. During this time, Jim and Lois were blessed with four children and with another to come much later. With those hungry mouths to feed, he worked diligently at several part-time jobs. He woke up early before attending classes to deliver newspapers and after school, he drove a van to provide ice cream to the neighbor children. After securing his degree, the Pumphrey family relocated to Tallahassee, Florida to start his new dental practice as one of only two orthodontists in the community. Therefore, over the next 30 years he was well known and respected as the one the area’s top artists of straightening teeth to produce thousands of award-winning smiles.

It was his best friend and bride who introduced him to the game of tennis, and they became mixed doubles partners. While maintaining his dental practice he took his passion for tennis and purchased a meager one court tennis facility and turned it into one of north Florida’s finest tennis clubs – Forestmeadows Racquet Club. In addition, he was quite the visionary and one of his many talents was the uncanny ability to take raw land of many grades of topography and magically create residential communities such as Cedar Lane, Bobbin Mill and Bobbin Brook. However, it might have been his last development which was his crown jewel – a upscale cluster home community called Woodbrook, that truly showed off his vision and his use of land in the Tallahassee area.

Jim Pumphrey greatly enjoyed a long and wonderful life. When he lived on the 40-acre “farm” off N. Meridian Road, he enjoyed breeding cattle and mowing the pastures on his big riding tractor. Once his skills improved at the game of tennis, he started playing singles exclusively. He was a fierce competitor and he was known as the “old pro” wherever he played across the state of Florida. Lois and Jim traveled to many exotic countries with many of their best friends. In addition, it was a common occurrence to see him “cheering on” his favorite Seminole teams at baseball, basketball, and football games. He served the community in many ways. He was an active member of the Kiwanis Club, the Boys and Girls Club, and a deacon of Faith Presbyterian Church. In addition, he was instrumental with two new banks in the community, Andrew Jackson Savings and Loan and First South Bank. The entire Pumphrey family and the community of Tallahassee will miss him. However, he will leave behind his legacy in the Tallahassee area as he left it much better than when he arrived back in early 1960’s.

Jim is preceded by his wife and best friend, Lois J. Pumphrey and their son, Richard D. Pumphrey. He is survived by four children: Robert B. Pumphrey, David W. Pumphrey, Pattie Lynn Pumphrey, and James E Pumphrey, Jr.; seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

A memorial service honoring Dr. James E. Pumphrey will be held at 2:00 on Friday, March 6, 2020 at Faith Presbyterian Church located at 2200 N. Meridian Road, Tallahassee, Florida. After the memorial service, you are welcome to join us the Swan House at the Woodbrook Development community located at 499 Woodbrook Drive, Tallahassee, Florida from 3:00 – 6:00.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the local Alzheimer's Project, 301 E Tharpe St., Tallahassee, FL 32303, https://www.alzheimersproject.org/.