Frederick E Blumer

Frederick Elwin Blumer, age 92, Wernersville, Pa., died in Reading Hospital

on October 23, 2025. Dr. Blumer, the son of the late Edward H. Blumer and Eva

Marie (Forbes) Blumer, was born September 16, 1933, at Glencoe, Oklahoma. He

was predeceased by his loving wife of over 58 years, Ann Anderson Blumer, as

well as two sisters, Louise Warner and Elaine Buxton, and a brother, Edward

Hadley Blumer.

Upon graduation with honors from Millsaps College, Dr. Blumer earned

degrees in Theology and the Philosophy of Religion at Emory University (BD,

Ph.D) with advanced graduate study in Göttingen, Germany, where he also studied

privately with Friedrich Gogarten. Dr. Blumer was a Miller Scholar, a Cokesbury

Fellow, Dempster Fellow, and Rockefeller Doctoral Fellow. An ordained minister

of The United Methodist Church, he served the denomination as Dean of the Graz

Center (Austria), as President of the National Association of Schools and Colleges

of the United Methodist Church, as Chairman of the Commission on Theological

Education, and then as President of the University Senate, the oldest accrediting

body in the United States.

His professional career began at Nebraska Wesleyan University (1960-76)

where he served first as Chaplain, then as Professor, Vice President, and finally as

Provost and editor of the Nebraska Wesleyan Press. Dr. Blumer then moved to

Pennsylvania to become President of Lycoming College (1976-89), where he also

served on the Boards of the Williamsport Hospital, the Pine Street Foundation and

as Chairman of the Foundation for Independent Colleges of Pennsylvania. He also

served as Treasurer of the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities

of Pennsylvania. He concluded his career as Moll Professor of Faith and Life at

Baldwin-Wallace University (1989-99) in Ohio.

Fred was a devoted husband and a warm and loving father and grandfather.

A man of ideas, he was a lifelong learner. Whether recalling with great clarity and

interest the lessons from his freshman chemistry class or continuing his lifelong

debates with the great philosophers he studied, his quest for truth (which is how he

described the study of philosophy) continued until his passing. The example he set

for those around him regarding ethics, faith, service, kindness and the pursuit of

understanding will remain his enduring legacy.

Surviving are two sons: Frederick Edward Blumer and his wife, Elizabeth,

Newland NC.; William Robert Blumer and his wife, Pamela, Mohnton, Pa.; his

brother-in-law, Robert B. Anderson, Wernersville, PA, and one sister, Carol

Cauthen, Black Mountain, NC. Four grandchildren also survive: Ryan William

Blumer and his wife, Kaitlyn; Ethan Michael Blumer and his wife, Pamela; 

Isabelle Blumer Josey and her husband, Ethan; and Téa Ruth Blumer along with

three great-grandchildren: Lincoln Josey, Rowan Josey, and Miles Blumer.

A memorial service will be held on November 15 th at 11:00 am in the chapel

at Phoebe-Berks Village, 1 Reading Drive, Wernersville, Pa. Visitation will be

held at 10:30 am. Burial will be private at the convenience of the family. In lieu

of flowers, memorials may be sent to Phoebe Ministries, Allentown, PA, 19104.

Mull Funeral Home, Womelsdorf, is in charge of arrangements.

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