Vida Mumme

ARIZONA CITY - Vida Faye Mumme, 86, of Arizona City died on Dec. 21, 2014.

Mrs. Mumme was born on Oct. 9, 1928, on a farm 4 miles east of Verden, Oklahoma, to John and Laura Robinson. She and twin sister Veda attended school in Verden and moved to Phoenix in 1947, where Mrs. Mumme was a secretary at Westinghouse. She attended Garfield Methodist Church and met her future husband, Jim, at a Saturday night Youth for Christ service. Both surrendered to Christ and accepted a call to missionary service. They married on Dec. 6, 1947, and were subsequently accepted by World Gospel Mission for a ministry with indigenous tribes in the Bolivian Amazon.

Her ministry to Bolivian children in Santa Cruz, beginning with street-corner flannelgraph lessons, mushroomed into a church of 400 persons today. The dangers of service at a time of hostilities between native tribes and Bolivian authorities led to their return to Arizona in 1960. They founded four area churches as well as three in Phoenix. She was much beloved by generations of children in Toltec and Arizona City for her nurturing warmth and kindness, her compelling Bible stories, homemade donuts and bottomless pitchers of iced tea.

Survivors include her sister; her husband; six sons and daughters, Stephen, Lois, Debbie, Philip, Teri and Cheryl; nine grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.

The memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Freedom Assembly of God, 13325 S. Tacna Road in Arizona City, with a reception to follow at Arizona City Evangelical Methodist Church.

J. Warren Funeral Services, Cole & Maud The Gardens Chapel is in charge of arrangements.