(April 27, 2017) County staff and officials appeared wearing blue ribbons pinned to their lapels at the county commissioners’ Tuesday meeting to remember Warden Garry Mumford, 57, who passed away after a brief illness last Saturday.
Jim Bunting, county commissioner president, said the county “had lost a dedicated and respected person, and I lost a good friend.”
Commissioner Chip Bertino followed, and said no one cared more about the people he worked with, and didn’t know a higher compliment to pay Mumford other than “he was a true gentleman.”
Commissioner Bud Church said he’d known Mumford since he was deputy warden, and just had dinner with him two weeks ago, where they reminisced about former warden Ira “Buck” Shockley.
“I didn’t know him before I became a county commissioner,” Ted Elder said. “He always made sure everyone was taken care of. God probably needed a department head and found the very best man for the job.”
Commissioner Merrill Lockfaw said there was no question of the pride Mumford took in his work, and said all the organizations he had belonged to lost a great asset.
Commissioner Diana Purnell held her comments until she delivered the opening prayer, where she said you could tell the measure of a man by the way he treats his family.
“I too realize, having lost him, know the county lost a good man,” she said.
Mumford was born on Nov. 28, 1959 and graduated from Salisbury University with a bachelor’s degree in social work in 1981. After graduating, he served as a military police investigator, juvenile investigator and drug investigator in the United States Army from 1982-1987.
He joined Worcester County government in late 1987 as an investigator with the State’s Attorney’s Office. During that time, he attended the Eastern Shore Criminal Justice Academy at Wor-Wic Community College, where he earned certification as a law enforcement officer in December 1988.
In December 2000, he was promoted to assistant warden/security and custody officer at the county jail, and in April 2011 he was promoted to warden.
In addition to his leadership at the jail, Warden Mumford was also a member of the Atlantic General Hospital Board of Directors and former Worcester County Board of Education member.
He is survived by his wife of almost 20 years, Faith, a retired Clerk of Court employee.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 29, 2017, at 1 p.m. at Holloway Hall at Salisbury University, 1101 Camden Avenue.
The Rev. T. David Hackett will be the officiant and the Rev. Arthur George will be the eulogist. Fraternal ceremonial rites will occur before the service.
Burial will be held at the Maryland Veterans Cemetery-Eastern Shore at a later date.
Jim Bunting, county commissioner president, said the county “had lost a dedicated and respected person, and I lost a good friend.”
Commissioner Chip Bertino followed, and said no one cared more about the people he worked with, and didn’t know a higher compliment to pay Mumford other than “he was a true gentleman.”
Commissioner Bud Church said he’d known Mumford since he was deputy warden, and just had dinner with him two weeks ago, where they reminisced about former warden Ira “Buck” Shockley.
“I didn’t know him before I became a county commissioner,” Ted Elder said. “He always made sure everyone was taken care of. God probably needed a department head and found the very best man for the job.”
Commissioner Merrill Lockfaw said there was no question of the pride Mumford took in his work, and said all the organizations he had belonged to lost a great asset.
Commissioner Diana Purnell held her comments until she delivered the opening prayer, where she said you could tell the measure of a man by the way he treats his family.
“I too realize, having lost him, know the county lost a good man,” she said.
Mumford was born on Nov. 28, 1959 and graduated from Salisbury University with a bachelor’s degree in social work in 1981. After graduating, he served as a military police investigator, juvenile investigator and drug investigator in the United States Army from 1982-1987.
He joined Worcester County government in late 1987 as an investigator with the State’s Attorney’s Office. During that time, he attended the Eastern Shore Criminal Justice Academy at Wor-Wic Community College, where he earned certification as a law enforcement officer in December 1988.
In December 2000, he was promoted to assistant warden/security and custody officer at the county jail, and in April 2011 he was promoted to warden.
In addition to his leadership at the jail, Warden Mumford was also a member of the Atlantic General Hospital Board of Directors and former Worcester County Board of Education member.
He is survived by his wife of almost 20 years, Faith, a retired Clerk of Court employee.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 29, 2017, at 1 p.m. at Holloway Hall at Salisbury University, 1101 Camden Avenue.
The Rev. T. David Hackett will be the officiant and the Rev. Arthur George will be the eulogist. Fraternal ceremonial rites will occur before the service.
Burial will be held at the Maryland Veterans Cemetery-Eastern Shore at a later date.