Cleveland C. Hummel

Cleveland C. Hummel passed peacefully on April 17, 2024, at the age of 88. He leaves his wife, Rosemary, to whom he was married for 69 years. He is survived by son, C. Cleveland and his wife, Kathy, and grandsons Justin C. Hummel (wife Kim) and Stephen J. Hummel (wife Ashley) and great-grandsons, Anson and Calvin; and son, Steven C. and his wife, Dawn, granddaughter, Caitlyn Hummel, and great-granddaughters, Aubrey Braud and Julianna Liner, and grandson, Kyle Hummel. One of three siblings, he is survived by a sister, Gloria Gearhart, a sister Pauline Krum preceded him in death. Cleve began distinguishing himself early in his life. As a teenager he was an accomplished piano player and a member of the Bloomsburg High School championship basketball teams of Frank Golder where he was recognized as all state second team forward. In 1954 he married his wife, Rosemary, and went off to Dickenson College and then Dickinson School of Law where he was a member of the Dickinson Law Review. After passing the bar exam he returned to Bloomsburg and began his law career as a solo practitioner in a second story office on Main St. and began a lifelong journey of representing common men and women over corporations and institutions and creating a multitude of businesses serving the Bloomsburg area. He and Rose purchased and operated the Little Shop, a children's clothing store; The Candy Barrel; Lickety Split Ice Cream Parlor, the Dairy Maid Ice Cream Stand, the Little Christmas Store stand at the Fifth St. gate of the Bloomsburg Fair; and opened Robbins Furniture Store with friends Lynn and Lorna Robbins, and owned and operated mobile home parks, Pleasant View Estates and Brookside Village, as well as Pleasant View Mobile Home Sales, with friends Ed and Peg Folk. As an attorney, he formed Hummel, James & Mihalik, one of the preeminent firms in Bloomsburg during the 70's and 80's, during which time he distinguished himself as a skilled criminal trial attorney while serving as a Columbia County Public Defender. Never one to just do his job and move on to the next case, Cleve took a real interest in his clients offering life advice to those willing to listen and offering a hand up when he saw their need or they asked for help. He especially enjoyed mentoring new business owners and entrepreneurs by sharing his experience in business and lessons he had learned over the years. He cared about the people in his community and gave back without looking for personal recognition. Privately, he and good friend, Bill May, put together boxes with all the ingredients for a Thanksgiving meal from their own resources and distributed them to less fortunate families in our community. As a Jaycee, he helped sell seat belts as a club event prior to belts being standard equipment so that those who wanted to retrofit their vehicles for the safety of their families could do so. When Bloomsburg Little League needed a coach, he volunteered. When the Cub Pack at St. Matthews needed a pack leader, he stepped up. As a member of the local Elks, he worked his way up through the chairs to become a Grand Exalted Ruler, during which time he proudly presided over an interior renovation of the club located on Market St. As he entered semi-retirement he spearheaded the remodeling project of the Trinity Reformed Church, Seventh St., Bloomsburg, dedicating his talent and volunteering much of his time to completing the renovation. In his spare time, Cleve loved to travel. In the early days he would throw the family in the car and travel to the west coast and back in two weeks, ala Clark Griswold. Over the years he and Rose expanded their adventures to encompass every continent, he got to white water raft down the Colorado River, camp with the grizzlies in Alaska, bike down the side of a volcano in Hawaii, climb in the Alps, trek across England, bike in France, safari in Africa, walk on the Great Wall of China, traverse the top of the Harbor Bridge in Sydney, sit with the penguins in Antarctica, climb Machu Pichu and explore the Galapagos Islands. It was a life well lived. A time of Visitation for family and friends will be held on Tuesday, April 23, 2024 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at the Allen Funeral Home, Inc. 745 Market at Eighth Street, Bloomsburg and on Wednesday, April 24, 2024 from 10:00 am to 11:00 am at Trinity Reformed Church, 260 East Seventh Street, Bloomsburg. Funeral Services will begin on Wednesday, April 24, 2024 at 11:00 am at Trinity Reformed United Church of Christ with Rev. David Schnaars, officiating. Private graveside committal service will be at the convenience of the family at Mill Grove Reformed Cemetery, Catawissa. The Allen Funeral Home, Inc., is honored to be serving the Hummel family. Memorial contributions in Cleve's name are suggested to: Trinity Reformed United Church of Christ, 260 E. 7th St. Bloomsburg, PA 17815.

Cleveland C. Hummel

March 25, 1936 - April 17, 2024