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Pearl Edwin Drumm, 97, of Marysville, died Saturday afternoon, May 18, surrounded by his loving family at Monarch Nursing Home, following a brief illness with prostate cancer.
He grew up on a farm in the Blues Creek area near Marysville and attended Marysville High School through the 11th grade. He left school before graduating because he did not want to give a speech in front of his class. The Ohio State Senate would later award him a diploma at the age of 90 for his service to the community and for being a good citizen of Ohio.
After high school, he attended a metal working school in Kansas, returning to Ohio to build airplanes at Curtis Wright Aircraft in Columbus. He enlisted in the Navy in 1943, during WWII, achieving the rank of petty officer 3rd class. He served aboard the USS Phenakite (PYc-25), a converted yacht of Theodore Roosevelt, patrolling the waters of New York Harbor in search of U-boats.
He and his wife Betty worked their farm and operated a ditching service called Drumm’s Farm Drainage starting in 1957 hiring its first employees. In 1975 their son Steve joined them in operations of the drainage business and in the family farm operations. He never retired from farming and had made plans for planting this spring.
He often said that as you get older it is important to socialize and be active to remain healthy. He kept a regular schedule going to several restaurants daily to visit friends and family members.
He enjoyed driving his pickup truck with Betty and their dog Susie as they reviewed crops on nearby farms always taking time to stop and chat with people he knew.
He was born Sept. 10, 1921, in Marysville to the late Francis and Evelyn Drumm. He was also preceded in death by siblings, Robert, Carl, Arthur, Stanley, Donald, Lloyd, Wanda Henry and Marilyn Brown.
While stationed in New York, he met Betty Bruns and they married in Queens on Sept. 20, 1945.
They returned to Ohio and farmed his father’s farm in Dover Township. In 1957, they moved to Marysville where they lived for 61 years in an historic farmhouse built in 1867.
He is survived by his wife of 73 years, Elizabeth “Betty”; three children, Peggy (Bruce) Wilson, David (Jovie) Drumm and Steve (Shirley) Drumm, all of Marysville; nine grandchildren, Rachael (Bob) Loper, Mark (Heather) Wilson, Wayne (Yukiko) Wilson Drumm, Joshua Drumm, Charlynn Drumm and Kassie Drumm, Crystal (Dennis) Campbell, Bob Drumm, Jeff (Nicole) Drumm; 12 great grandchildren, Theodore, Francis, Magdalene, Arthur and Kyle Wilson, Ethen, Kyle and Ashley Campbell, Cynthia Drumm, Jacob Drumm and Owen Drumm; siblings, Wilma Noonan, Gloria Oates, Richard Drumm, Rodney (Patsy) Drumm and Francis (Marie) Drumm; nearly 50 nieces and nephews; and sisters-in-law Peg Jacoud and Norma Bruns.
Calling hours will be from 4-7 p.m., Tuesday, at the New Dover United Methodist Church, 16637 Church St., Marysville, where funeral services will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m., with the Rev. Wayne Engle officiating. Burial will follow at Oakdale Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the New Dover United Methodist Church or the American Legion Post 79 in care of Ingram Funeral Home who is completing arrangements.
Condolences may be expressed at www.ingramfuneralservice.com.