Football
DURHAM, N.C. – Former Blue Devil football standout Dwight Bumgarner, the MVP of Duke’s 7-6 win over Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 85.
A native of Lexington, N.C., Bumgarner lettered three seasons (1958-59-60) at Duke under Hall of Fame head coach Bill Murray. As a senior in 1960, Bumgarner helped the Blue Devils to an 8-3 overall record, the ACC championship and a national ranking of No. 10 in the Associated Press final poll.
In addition, Bumgarner was named Most Valuable Player of the Cotton Bowl as Duke defeated Arkansas, 7-6, on January 2, 1961 in Dallas, Texas. The accolade capped an honor-filled final season which included a second consecutive All-ACC selection, a third team All-America citation, an Academic All-ACC nod and the ACC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy, and honor presented annually to the top blocker in the league as voted on by the conference’s head coaches. Bumgarner was a draft selection of both the NFL’s Washington Redskins and AFL’s Buffalo Bills.
Bumgarner is survived by his wife of 64 years, the former Jean Armfield, and two sons, Tim (Barbara), a four-year letterman as an offensive lineman at Duke from 1979-82, and Bill (Molly), who played football at the University of North Carolina from 1982-85. Grandchildren include Robert Bumgarner (Sarah Kate), Virginia Finlayson (Brian), Katie Pullen (Dan) and Sarah Dover (Ryan) along with great grandchildren Liddy and Becca Bumgarner, Wallace and Millie Pullen and Timmy Dover.
Memorials may be made to:
UNC School of Nursing
c/o UNC-Chapel Hill Gift Services
P.O. Box 309
Chapel Hill, N.C. 27514
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