On Wednesday, January 21, 2015, Mrs. Barbara H. Dumic, 94, Johnson City, formerly of Elizabethton, passed away peacefully and went to dance eternally in Heaven. She passed away in the Ivy Hall Nursing Home following a brief illness of three weeks. She was the daughter of the late John and Agnes Lena Wingrave Hodkinson and was born in Southport, England.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Lt. Colonel Joe Dumic, on November 23, 1985, a sister, Jean Hetherington and her son-in-law, Terry Proffitt.
Before her marriage, Mrs. Dumic was a professional ballerina in Great Britain. Throughout her life she continued to dance and follow the ballet and classical dance that she loved so much. She also loved to watch ice dancing and figure skating which she believed were an extension of ballet.
She was a proud naturalized citizen of the United States who immigrated to the USA with her military husband, whom she met in London during WWII. She loved the USA and was active in politics as a member of the Republican Women’s Club and she was member of Memorial Presbyterian Church in Elizabethton. She loved to collect items from her travels with her husband and also collected dolls and made beautiful native costumes for them herself. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who took great pride in her family.
She is survived by a daughter, Barbara Proffitt, Johnson City; two sons, Michael Paul Dumic, San Antonio, TX; Dr. John Franklin Dumic, Corpus Christi, TX; a granddaughter, Julie, and her husband, Bradley “Bucky” Buchanan, Knoxville; and a great-granddaughter, Caroline Drew Buchanan, Knoxville. Several nieces, nephews, and cousins, both in Elizabethton and England, also survive.
A service to honor the life of Mrs. Dumic will be conducted on Sunday, January 25, 2015 at 2:00 PM in the Chapel of Peace, Tetrick Funeral Home, Elizabethton, with Rev. Raymond Amos officiating. The family will receive friends in the funeral home chapel from 1:00-2:00 PM on Sunday prior to the service.
Interment will follow the funeral service at Caldwell Springs Baptist Church Cemetery. Active pallbearers will be Bob Schaff and Bucky Buchanan, with others to be selected from family and friends.
The family would like to express sincere and heartfelt love and appreciation to the Staff of Pine Oaks Assisted Living where Mrs. Dumic made her home until early 2015, and to the Staff of Ivy Hall Nursing Home who compassionately cared for her during her final days.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Mrs. Dumic’s favorite charity, The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 1715, Johnson City, TN 37605.
Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.tetrickfuneralhome.com and signing the guest book or by fax 423 542-9499. Tetrick Funeral Home, Elizabethton is serving the Dumic family. Office 423 542-2232, Obituary line 543-4917.