Local Civic Leader and Power Plant Employee Remembered by Community

Kendall Leo Tumbleson, 84, who combined a long career at an area power plant with decades of farming and township service, died on December 7, 2025. Tumbleson was born May 30, 1941, and maintained strong ties to Bentonville and Manchester throughout his life. The breadth of his local involvement underscored his role as a fixture in community life and local governance.

Tumbleson spent many years employed at Dayton Power and Light, including lengthy service at Stuart Station. Alongside work at the plant he farmed and served Sprigg Township as clerk for 20 years. That blend of industrial employment, agricultural roots, and municipal service shaped decades of relationships across Adams County, and provided continuity in local record keeping and civic administration.

He is survived by his wife Shelby, children, grandchildren, and a great grandchild. He was preceded in death by several relatives. Visitation will be held at Bible Baptist Church in West Union and funeral and burial services will take place at Kirker Cemetery. Memorial suggestions were noted by the family, and his family expressed appreciation for the medical and hospice staff who cared for him in recent years.

The loss of a long serving township clerk carries practical implications for local governance. Long tenures concentrate institutional memory about property records, meeting procedures, and community projects, and transitioning those responsibilities can place immediate demands on volunteer leaders and elected officials. For residents, continuity matters for how local elections, public records, and routine township business are managed, and the community may see short term adjustments as those duties are reassigned.

Tumbleson’s combination of utility work and farming reflects a common local profile that links industrial employment with agricultural life. His passing is a reminder of the ways individual public servants support everyday civic functions. Community members who relied on his experience will likely notice his absence in coming months, and local officials may need to address preservation of records and transfer of responsibilities to maintain the steady delivery of township services.