James Kenneth Trumbauer

James Kenneth Trumbauer of Chestertown, Maryland died peacefully surrounded by family on January 2, 2024 from complications of heart failure. He was 78 years old. Jim was born on January 21, 1945 in Batavia, NY, the middle child of five siblings born to the late Kenneth R. and Donna D. Trumbauer. The family moved later that year to Chestertown, where he lived for the rest of his life. Jim graduated from Chestertown High School in 1963 and attended the University of Maryland - College Park, graduating in 1967 with a degree in biology. During this time he also met his future wife, Mary McKay Trumbauer, whom he married on May 12, 1973. He later received a Master of Science degree from University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. Jim began work at LaMotte Company in Chestertown in 1971 and worked there for 38 years, where he was the long time Vice President of Research and Development. At LaMotte he was responsible for many new product introductions, including reagent tablets and test strips, and innovations like the “JT-sampler,” which is still in production today. Jim and Mary were married for 41 years, until Mary’s passing in 2014. They had three sons - Chris, Mike, and Tim. As a family, they instilled in their children a love of nature and the outdoors. Jim was a loving and active father, and provided his kids a happy and idyllic childhood on the Chester River. Throughout his life, Jim enjoyed boating, hunting, fishing, camping, golf, hiking, and backyard croquet. Jim was a kind, generous soul who volunteered and gave his time to many local charities and causes, including Meals on Wheels, Rebuilding Together, ShoreRivers, the Friends of Rosin Creek, and his local neighborhood association at Royston Shores. In the 1980s, he served as the President of the Chester Harbor Property Owners Association and was involved with Kent Conservation, where he was active in efforts to preserve Chestertown’s rural way of life. Later in life, Jim found companionship with Dottie Douglas, of Lewisburg, PA. They enjoyed traveling the world together. Jim was predeceased by his two brothers Joseph Trumbauer and John Trumbauer. He is survived by his three sons and their families: Christopher J. Trumbauer and wife Mary of Columbia, MD; Michael D. Trumbauer and wife Julie of Towson, MD; and Timothy J. Trumbauer and wife Katie of Rockport, ME. His surviving family also includes his brother David Trumbauer of Ormand Beach, FL and his sister Martha “Molly” Balog of Severna Park, MD, and eight loving grandchildren: Johnny, Josie, Jameson, Joey, Alida, Lucy, Teddy, and Wally Trumbauer. He is also survived, inexplicably, by Roly the cat. He will be greatly missed. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions in Jim Trumbauer's name be given to ShoreRivers or Kent County Rebuilding Together. Services will be held on Friday, January 12 at 11:00 am at Fellows, Helfenbein, and Newnam Funeral Home in Chestertown, MD. For those unable to attend, the service will be livestreamed on this page and recorded for later viewing.

James Kenneth Trumbauer

January 21, 1945 - January 2, 2024