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<em>John Plympton Stuart Humphrey</em> was born in Hornell, NY, but always called Canisteo, NY, a small village just outside Hornell, home. He was the only child of Ingraham and Helen Stuart Humphrey. Although he did not have any siblings, he thought of his cousins as his brothers and sisters.</p>
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Dad was a very active person throughout his life. As a child, he was a member of the Boy Scouts and enjoyed it so much he saved his uniform. In fact, I still have it, just as Dad left it—not a wrinkle to be found and all the many patches placed just right. He also loved to play sports, especially football. In his senior year in high school, he was captain of the football team and then played at Alfred University for a year before receiving his appointment to West Point.</p>
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Dad absolutely loved going deer hunting, which was a way of life growing up in Canisteo. I have fond memories of hunting with Dad every Thanksgiving while visiting his childhood home. No matter what was going on at the time, everything came to a complete stop during the opening week of deer season. While Dad was at West Point and could not leave the Academy to go hunting, Grandpa (his father) went in his place. Just a telegraph telling about a deer was all Dad needed. He always kept a box with important papers in it, and one of those “important” documents was a Western Union telegraph with this message: “Venison for Christmas—Shot 180lb doe—Corner Mags Woods 7:15—No bear yet—Love Dad.”</p>
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In July 1951, Dad was sworn in as a cadet. He graduated in 1955 with an engineering degree and was commissioned as an Infantry officer. I do not know much about his life at West Point, but I know he tried to spend most of his time in the gym. At West Point, he monogrammed in soccer and received numerals in track. He also participated in the Fishing, Skeet, Ski, Spanish, and Weight Lifting Clubs. I understand he achieved the rank of Cadet Sergeant—I also understand he received numerous delinquency reports, which he kept in his box of important papers. Dad once told me of how he smuggled some ice cream to his room one night and ate it without being discovered. At the time, it did not sound like a big story, but he seemed proud to have gotten away with it, given the many rules and regulations at West Point.</p>
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Soon after graduating from West Point, Dad entered Airborne training at Ft. Benning, GA, and prided himself on achieving Jumpmaster status. While at Ft. Benning, he converted to Christ after another officer explained God’s plan of salvation. Feeling the call to spread God’s word, Dad was ordained as a Baptist minister in 1957. At the time, Dad was still on active duty, serving in the 101st Airborne Division at Ft. Campbell, KY. In June 1958, upon fulfilling his active duty commitment, Dad resigned his Regular Army commission to serve full-time in the ministry. When he left active duty, Dad joined the Army Reserves and eventually became a chaplain. He achieved the rank of captain before fulfilling his military obligation.</p>
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While Dad was in the reserves, he continued making airborne jumps. One day, he landed in a rock-filled ditch, making that the last jump he ever made. Dad told me he shattered his right femur. On the operating table, the surgeons noted his right leg was four inches shorter than his left. After the operation, Dad was told the worse case scenario was that he would never walk again. His best case scenario was that he would walk with the aid of a cane. But Dad was a very active person with a never-give-up attitude; he would not accept either scenario. Full recovery was the only option for him, so Dad tripled the recommended therapy. If he was told to do 10 repetitions of an exercise, he did 30. If he was told to exercise for one hour, he exercised for three. To make a long story short, Dad achieved a full recovery and never even had a limp. Some surgical pins, screws, and a nearly foot-long scar were the only reminders of this jump.</p>
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On 5 Jul 1960, Dad and my mother, Nancy Gilpin Humphrey, were married at First Baptist Church in Clarksville, TN. Soon afterward, they moved to Texas so Dad could attend Southwestern Theological Seminary. After two years in Texas, they moved to Mill Valley, CA, where Dad attended and graduated from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. Dad served approximately 43 years in the ministry. He was founding pastor of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Clarksville, pastor of three other Baptist churches, and served as an international evangelist. In 1989, he was president of the Fellowship of Tennessee Baptist Evangelists.</p>
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Mom and Dad were married for almost 40 years. They had four children—two daughters and two sons. One of his personal goals was to perform the marriage ceremony for each of his four children. This became extremely important to him, given the fact he began to display symptoms of both Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s before his goal was accomplished. Happily, Dad attained his goal before the symptoms of these diseases got the best of him. Dad was eventually the proud Granddad of eleven grandchildren.</p>
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On 4 Apr 2000, Dad passed away in Sevierville, TN, due to congestive heart failure. Dad was obedient to his faith and allowed Christ to work through him. As a result, he touched an immeasurable number of lives.</p>
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<em>His son David</em></p>