WALHALLA, N.D. — James Lesswing Bumbalo, 59, of Walhalla, North Dakota, and formerly of Camden, Maine, passed away peacefully Wednesday, September 29, 2021 at the home of his sister, Portia, after battling esophageal cancer for over a year.

 Jamey was born April 28, 1962 in Buffalo, New York, the first son of the late Dr. James T. Bumbalo and his surviving first wife, Mrs. Linda Knell Bumbalo, of Rectortown, Virginia. 

Jamey graduated from Jamestown (N.Y.) High School in 1980.  He earned a bachelor’s degree at Johns Hopkins University in 1984 and a J.D. from Emory University School of Law in 1987. 

In 1996, he moved to Camden, Maine, where he would remain for nearly 20 years before moving to Virginia and North Dakota.

He served as a teacher for most of his career, most recently at North Border High School in Walhalla, North Dakota.

He was the proud father of Lindsay and Brooks, both of Florida, as well as an ever-loving and supportive son, brother, and uncle.

In addition to teaching and his family, Jamey’s greatest passion in life was the outdoors. He was an avid hiker, skier, kayaker, and canoer and loved spending many of his summers in Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada. 

In addition to his mother and children, he is survived by two sisters, Susan Knell Bumbalo (Louis Grimmelbein) and Portia Wood; a brother, Daniel Bumbalo (Jennifer), all of Virginia; an uncle, Richard Knell (Terri), of Lehigh Acres, Florida; and a host of nieces and nephews and many, many friends – Jamey seldom met a stranger.

Donations may be made to the Algonquin Campership Fund c/o Rochester Area Community Foundation, 500 East Avenue, Rochester, N.Y. 14607.