MaryJane Bumbu of Florida, affectionately known as “Jennie,” 88, passed away Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021.

Jennie always had a smile on her face, joy in her heart and a kind word for others. She was a pleasure to be around and was dearly loved by her family and friends.

Jennie started her work life early. As her brothers served in World War II and her father passed away when she was very young, she was forced to work at a young age. At 12, she worked for the local flower shop and their agricultural farm as a bookkeeper to help her mother. During her high school years, she worked for the president of the local bank to earn enough money to pay her way through college. Jennie graduated in 3 1/2 years from Ohio University in Athens with a Bachelor of Science degree.

She met her husband, George T. Bumbu, when she was crowned Queen of the Romanian Leul Society. Jennie was married to her husband for 59 1/2 years. She taught at Brookfield schools after graduating college. When her children were teenagers, Jennie returned to teaching at Trumbull Career Technical Center as one of the first teaching faculty members. She attended Kent State University to study for her master’s degree. She worked side-by-side with her husband at their business, Falls Ford Inc., for 50-plus years.

Jennie was community minded. She enjoyed volunteering. Jennie taught swimming to handicapped children for the Red Cross at the YWCA. She was the chairman of Children’s Concerts held at W.D. Packard Music Hall. Jennie was a golden lifetime member and past president of American Association of University Women. Jennie was a founding member of the Warren Town Hall Community Organization, whose mission is to provide lectures for the education, spiritual and cultural enlightenment of women.

Jennie was a member of The Holy Resurrection Romanian Orthodox Church and supported the Ladies Auxiliary and AFORA group, holding numerous offices. Jennie was a charter member of the Ellis Island Restoration Project to preserve our country’s history. She was gifted with a beautiful mezzo-soprano voice and sang a capella for many weddings. Singing Handel’s Messiah was the highlight of her holidays. She was an avid golfer, hitting the links with her husband and her women’s league.

She is predeceased by her husband, George; her parents; and her brother, John.

She leaves behind two brothers, E. Peter and George; four children, Jennifer, Jeannine McCubbins (Paul), Jill and Greg (Laura); four grandchildren, Grant, Ava and Lance Bumbu and Sarah McCubbins.

We shall miss her kindness, wit, enduring support, smile, courage, humility and love. May God’s grace keep her love in our hearts and minds forever.

Please make memorial contributions to Holy Resurrection Romanian Orthodox Church, 1836 North Road NE Warren, OH 44483, in loving memory of MaryJane Bumbu.

A private funeral service was performed by the Very Rev. Fr. Stanciu.