NAU nursing professor Paul R. Umberger III, also known as Skip, died May 3, 2016. He was 62.
Mr. Umberger was born September 19, 1953, in Huntington, West Virginia, to Paul and Ruby Umberger. He grew up in Ohio and attended Ottawa-Glandorf High School where he was a state track champion.
Mr. Umberger graduated from Miami University in 1976. He received his master’s from the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Mass., in 1979, and was ordained an Episcopal priest in 1980. Mr. Umberger continued his educational journey receiving a master of divinity from Boston University, a bachelor’s of science in nursing from St. Anselm College and a master’s of science in nursing from Boston College. He earned a doctorate of nursing practice from Northern Arizona University, where he was teaching at the time of his death. Mr. Umberger also completed his naval service by working at the Indian Health Service in Bad River, Wisc.
Mr. Umberger was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his two daughters, Rachel and Sarah of Concord, New Hampshire; his sister, Paula Dinovo (Richard) of Delaware, Ohio; and his nephews, Matthew and Andrew.
Mr. Umberger was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hiking, skiing, camping as well as other pursuits. He was a member of many professional organizations and had been a part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency-Disaster Medical Assistance Team who participated in the 9-1-1 recovery as well as the Hurricane Rita disaster in Louisiana. He also received the Innovative Teaching Award from the University of New Mexico and the Caring in Teaching Award from Northern Arizona University.
A private funeral service for Mr. Umberger will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church in Findlay, Ohio. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Northern Arizona University School of Nursing. Donations may be mailed to the NAU Foundation with a note that they are for Paul Umberger’s memory, care of Debera Thomas, Dean, 202 E Pine Knoll Dr. PO Box 15035, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011.