T.R. was born in Buna, Texas, spent most of his young years at Town Bluff, Texas. He moved with his family to Port Arthur, Texas in 1938, were he worked in the dirt business with a dragline and dump truck for many years before hiring on at Great Lakes Carbon. He retired from Great Lakes after 22 years there and upon retirement he and wife, Nellie moved to Wimberly, Texas. They were members of the Baptist church in Wimberly and the Lions club. T.R. was also a Mason in the Wimberly Lodge. In 2002 he moved to Silsbee, Texas and became a member of the 1st Baptist Church of Silsbee. After hurricane Rita he moved to Gladewater, Texas to reside with Nellie in the Gladwater Nursing Home. He lived there until her death in July, 2007. As of August 1, 2007 he has lived at Cypress Glenn Nursing Home in Port Arthur, Texas.
He was an avid gardener, hunter, and fisherman. It was often said one he was one of the best 42 domino players around. He and Nellie did quite a lot of traveling when he first retired. They had quite a zest for life, family and friends.
Preceding him in death is his father Thomas Robert Lumpkin Sr., mother, Corrie Williford Lumpkin, sister, Lillian Lumpkin Fitzgerald, stepson, Larry Jernigan and wife of 47 years, Nellie Juneau Lumpkin.
Survivors are his sister, Joy Allen of Groves and Fay Adcox of Beaumont; daughter, Cynthia Lumpkin Gontarek and her husband John of Groves; sons, Larry Lumpkin and his wife Judy of Nederland, Tommy Lumpkin III and his wife Brenda of Houston, Mike Lumpkin and his wife Lisa of Groves; step-son, Gary Jernigan and his wife Vicki of Kilgore; grandchildren, Jeff Gontarek and his wife Debbie of Nederland, Julie Hebert and her husband Kevin of Groves, Joel Gontarek and his wife Kim of Port Arthur, Kim McDuffie and her husband Jeremy of Nederland, Lynn Lumpkin and his wife Kandi of Nederland, Kyle Lumpkin of Beaumont, Greg Lumpkin and his wife Monique of Beaumont; step-grandchildren, Blaine Jernigan and his wife Valerie of Henderson, Jimmy Jernigan and his wife Tami of Friendswood, Jeffery Jernigan and his wife Melanie of Hallsville, Steven Jernigan and his wife Terri of Mississippi, Dana Pigg and her husband gene of Florida, Lori Loiodice and her husband Tim of Kingwood. He had 22 great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be 2:00 PM, Sunday, October 21, 2007 at Broussard’s in Nederland. Interment will follow at Pedigo Cemetery in Town Bluff, Texas. A gathering of family and friends will be 5:00 -8:00 PM, Saturday at the mortuary.
