John Walter Tumey

John Tumey was born on August 18, 1939, the second son of Edward and Katherine Tumey in Marshall, Illinois. He served in the US Navy from 1957 to 1961, where he met and married Mari Shimizu, the love of his life, who worked on the Navy base in Yokosuka, Japan. He worked for General Electric in San Diego after the Navy working on the Mercury Project, then moved to Alaska to assist a Navy buddy in operating a radio antenna repair service. After surviving the Alaskan earthquake and having two children, Michael and Katherine, the family moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, where he was employed with the Union Pacific Railroad as a radio repairman. Needing more of a challenge, the family moved to Seattle, Washington where John began his career working for A.T.&T.

He was transferred to Norway Illinois station, where he purchased a home in Ottawa spending the rest of his life. After 23 years at A.T.&T., he retired, but was shortly after was contracted to Bell Labs for 7.5 years teaching and leading installation of telephone systems to Mexico, Europe, Indonesia and China, where he took his wife on many world trips. He also started the family business, 2me Studio, Inc. in 1994, where his son, Michael, operated a graphic design and digital print studio in Ottawa for 22 years, until it's closure in 2015, due to John's failing health.

John passed peacefully at home, surrounded by family on March 4, 2021. A private ceremony was held with family and cremation rites, all prepared by Gladfelter-Roetker Funeral Home. He is survived by his wife, Mari, his son Michael and daughter Katherine, her sons Dylan and Connor, Michael's daughter, Meredith, and her daughters, Jacqueline and Penelope, as well as his brother, Jerry Tumey & family of Marshall, Illinois. John will be sorely missed