Samuel Reginald Bumgarner
"Fallen Warrior"
Terminated Mixed-Blood Uinta, Roll #31
Samuel Reginald (Reggie) Bumgarner, Roll #31, was born at the old hospital in Fort Duchesne on February 28, 1938, to Samuel Walker Bumgarner Jr. and Elizabeth Curry Bumgarner. Reggie was the firstborn of the Bumgarner children, a cute baby with dark, almost black eyes and beautiful curly, wavy black hair.
His mother always dressed him in the old-time “Hosh Koshes,” or striped coveralls with a tee shirt and tie shoes. His family, especially Uncle Dick Curry, loved him. Reggie and Dick formed a bond from the day Reggie was born that lasted a lifetime.
Reggie attended the old Alterra School on Whiterocks Highway and later Union High School. He was smart, handsome, and active, spending much of his free time throwing a football with friends. He loved art and took a class at Union, where his teacher, Mrs. Krissman, told him he had great potential.
In 1956, Reggie joined the United States Marines and was stationed at Camp Pendleton, California, during peacetime. He bought a moss-green 1957 two-door Chevy coupe, which he drove proudly. When he came home on leave, he spent most of his time with Uncle Dick and his grandparents, showing love and care for his siblings, especially Marleen, who was often sick.
Reggie dated many local girls, but one remained the love of his life. He eventually married a woman from Salt Lake City, and they had a daughter, Debbie, born on April 21, 1968.
Termination hit the reservation hard, affecting Reggie and his family. His mother had died in a car accident, his father had returned to Oklahoma, and his siblings were living elsewhere. Struggling with loss, Reggie turned to alcohol, which worsened his health and prevented him from keeping a steady job.
He became a loner, though he maintained loving connections with family, often visiting his niece to play and show affection. Despite attempts by family members, including Uncle Dick, to help him quit drinking, Reggie continued to struggle. His liver and overall health deteriorated, and his once-handsome frame became frail and weak.
Eventually, Reggie moved in with Uncle Dick, who treated him like family and tried to care for him. Reggie expressed fear of dying, but it was too late to reverse the damage caused by years of alcohol and hardship.
On June 2, 1973, Reggie passed away at the age of 35. He had suffered as a direct result of the government’s termination policy, which had disrupted the Uinta community and contributed to the hardships he endured. Reggie was buried in Fort Duchesne, Utah, next to his mother, father, and two little sisters. His sister Oranna reflects on his life with love and sorrow, mourning the loss of the man he might have become if termination had not shattered their family and community.