Taken from Cumberland Evening Times..
RAYMOND HUMBERTSON
FROSTBURG -- Raymond E. Humbertson, 57, of 2815 9th Street, South Arlington, Va., died yesterday in National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md. He was a former resident of Cumberland. Born in Cumberland, he was a son of the late Ace Humbertson and Mary E. (Anderson) Humbertson.
A veteran of World War II and the Korean War, he was a retired Marine and a member of the Marine Corp Reserve Association and National Guard, Cumberland, and of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Arlington.
Surviving are his widow, Margaret (Hargosh) Humbertson, formerly of Frostburg; three brothers, Albert Humbertson, Parkersburg, W.Va.; Ace Humbertson, Bowling Green; Earl Humbertson, Cumberland; two sisters, Mrs. Catherine Johnson, Bowling Green, and Mrs. LaVada Carney, Cumberland.
Friends will be recieved at the Durst Funeral Home from 7 to 9 p.m. today and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. tomorrow.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday at 9:30 a.m. in St. Michael's Catholic Church. Interment will be in the parish cemetery. Farrady Post 24, American Legion will accord military honors at gravesite.
The family suggests expressions of sympathy take the form of memorials to the American Cancer Society.
Raymond Humbertson fondly remembered - Daleen Berry
Cumberland Times-News
FROSTBURG - Unlike the resurrected 1957 Plymouth Belvedere awaiting his heirs in Tulsa, Okla., the gifts given by Raymond Humbertson have withstood the test of time - and tell the tale of a beloved brother and uncle.
The man whose 50-year-old prediction was unearthed along with the vintage car June 15, "R.E. Humbertson" turned out to be Raymond Eugene - a Cumberland native whose family just learned he unknowingly left them one, final last gift.
It would be just like him. Humbertson's return trips from Japan while on leave from the military included presents for everyone - sets of Noritake china, silk prints and ornate jewelry boxes. The 18 nieces and nephews still have many of Raymond's gifts.
Raymond's sisters remember him being just as loving to them. "Every time he came he always brought me up something. He was just so good to me," said Catherine (Humbertson) Johnson.
"He always had something special for us," niece Mary Catherine (Humbertson) Kesner, said. "Now we have a car."
Saturday's reunion of the Humbertson clan included lively talk about how Humbertson came to be in Tulsa half a decade ago. That's when city residents buried a time capsule in the form of the spanking new Plymouth sedan, and when Humbertson cast one of the 812 entries. His was the winning one, and the career Marine predicted Tulsa's population in 2007 would be 384,743. The town's actual population is 382,457.
Because Humbertson died childless in 1979, and his wife Margaret passed away in 1988, Johnson, 93, and her sister LeVada (Humbertson) Carney, 83, are his closest living relatives. But he has a slew of nieces and nephews - all of whom are laying claim to being their uncle's favorite.
"With 18 of us, every year and a half the car can rotate through the family. We'll drive up here and pick it up from Catherine and Levada," Don Humbertson said. The sisters live together in Bowling Green.
"Levada already announced the highest bidder gets it," Sue (Humbertson) Gerhart said.
Among the growing list of humorous pleas for the Belvedere was nephew Al Humbertson's, "I was the oldest."
Sue said her husband Paul broke the news to her early Saturday morning, when he said, "You're not going to believe what was in today's paper." Sue added, "I wasn't even awake yet ... I thought he said, ‘Raymond buried a car and they just dug it up.' I said, ‘My God, is there a body in it?'"
Good-natured family ribbing aside, everyone continued to speculate how Raymond came to be in Oklahoma on June 15, 1957. After several attempts to chronicle family events, they finally figured it out.
"What we think is, our grandfather was probably sick," nephew Ace Humbertson Jr. said. They believe Raymond came back to Cumberland after returning to San Diego, stopping in Tulsa along the way. "He probably got word his dad was sick," Ace said. Raymond's father, Azariah Humbertson, had both legs amputated not long before he died in August 1957 - and his loving son would have returned home to see his father, Ace added.
The rest of the puzzle remains a mystery, though. They speculate that Raymond stayed overnight in Tulsa, and perhaps had a bite to eat at a local diner - where he may have filled out the form for the time capsule contest. As far as why he chose the numbers he did - no one knows. In fact, they said Raymond wasn't a great math or science whiz. "For all we know, he could have picked those numbers because (the cost of his meals were) $3.84 and $7.43, or something like that," Ace added.
While some Humbertsons didn't learn about the Belvedere until Saturday, two of them knew Friday night. Dina (Humbertson) Lawyer's father-in-law had been following the story "for years." He called her Friday afternoon from Mississippi, telling her to get online. "He's really into old cars and ... it's a story that caught his attention and he just followed it," Lawyer said. "I think it's just outstanding. It's something you would never think would happen."
But it did happen, and the close-knit family intends for sisters Catherine and Levada to fly to Tulsa to see their new prize. "I would love to see them out there because I would like to see history with their picture, with that vehicle," Kesner, who is Levada's daughter, said.
With some gentle urging, Catherine, who has never flown, agreed she "might do it."
Levada was a little more willing. "Give me some sleeping pills or something, and I won't know I'm on the plane," Levada said.∼Raymond Humbertson
Raymond was the son of Azariah Humbertson and Mary Elizabeth (Anderson) Humbertson. Raymond was born in Cumberland, Maryland and had brothers:Charles, Albert O.; Ace H. Humbertson, Sr.
SSN: 215-16-4982
Last Residence: 22204 Arlington, Arlington, Virginia, United States of America
Born: 8 Jul 1921
Died: May 1979--Last Benefit: 22204 Arlington, Arlington, Virginia, United States of America
State (Year) SSN issued: Maryland (Before 1951 )
His obit lists a wife named Margaret and several brothers, and sisters, but no children. Margaret died in 1988.
Raymond was a career Marine and a Korean War veteran who spent the last few years of his life as an administrator at Northern Virginia Community College.
Raymond died of cancer at age 57.
************************************************************
The 1930 census for Cumberland, MD shows Raymond E. Humberston to be a son to and a part of this household:
Azariah, father, 42 years old (b. app. 1888)
Mary, mother, 40 yrs.old (b.app. 1890)
Albert, son, 20 yrs. old (b.app. 1910)
Azariah H., son, 18 yrs. old (b.app. 1912)
Catherine, daughter, 16 yrs. old (b.app. 1914)
Charles E., son, 11 yrs. old (b.app. 1919)
Levada P., daughter, 6 yrs. old (b.app.1924)
__________________________________________________
"Belvedere Winner Announced"
By Staff Reports Cumberland Times
Published: 6/22/2007 12:14 PM
Last Modified: 6/22/2007 12:18 PM
R.E. Humbertson where are you? Your Belvedere is ready.
Humbertson, who would be 85 years old, won the 1957 contest to guess Tulsa's 2007 population.
First prize: A 1957 Plymouth Belvedere that was buried in the Tulsa County Courthouse lawn for 50 years and unearthed last week.
Humbertson's victory over some 800 other contestants was announced Friday at a press conference with the car, which turned out to be a rusted hulk despite 1957 state-of-the-art efforts to protect it.
Humbertson or his descendants have five years to claim the vehicle, which was redubbed ``Miss Belvedere'' by officials who organized the unearthing effort.
Humbertson listed his place of birth as Cumberland, Maryland, but little else is known about him.
On Saturday at tulsaworld.com, find all the contestants and their guesses in the Belvedere contest.
Special section: Find complete coverage of the buried car, including videos, stories and slide shows. Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=070622_1__Humbe31465
RAYMOND HUMBERTSON
FROSTBURG -- Raymond E. Humbertson, 57, of 2815 9th Street, South Arlington, Va., died yesterday in National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md. He was a former resident of Cumberland. Born in Cumberland, he was a son of the late Ace Humbertson and Mary E. (Anderson) Humbertson.
A veteran of World War II and the Korean War, he was a retired Marine and a member of the Marine Corp Reserve Association and National Guard, Cumberland, and of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Arlington.
Surviving are his widow, Margaret (Hargosh) Humbertson, formerly of Frostburg; three brothers, Albert Humbertson, Parkersburg, W.Va.; Ace Humbertson, Bowling Green; Earl Humbertson, Cumberland; two sisters, Mrs. Catherine Johnson, Bowling Green, and Mrs. LaVada Carney, Cumberland.
Friends will be recieved at the Durst Funeral Home from 7 to 9 p.m. today and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. tomorrow.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday at 9:30 a.m. in St. Michael's Catholic Church. Interment will be in the parish cemetery. Farrady Post 24, American Legion will accord military honors at gravesite.
The family suggests expressions of sympathy take the form of memorials to the American Cancer Society.
Raymond Humbertson fondly remembered - Daleen Berry
Cumberland Times-News
FROSTBURG - Unlike the resurrected 1957 Plymouth Belvedere awaiting his heirs in Tulsa, Okla., the gifts given by Raymond Humbertson have withstood the test of time - and tell the tale of a beloved brother and uncle.
The man whose 50-year-old prediction was unearthed along with the vintage car June 15, "R.E. Humbertson" turned out to be Raymond Eugene - a Cumberland native whose family just learned he unknowingly left them one, final last gift.
It would be just like him. Humbertson's return trips from Japan while on leave from the military included presents for everyone - sets of Noritake china, silk prints and ornate jewelry boxes. The 18 nieces and nephews still have many of Raymond's gifts.
Raymond's sisters remember him being just as loving to them. "Every time he came he always brought me up something. He was just so good to me," said Catherine (Humbertson) Johnson.
"He always had something special for us," niece Mary Catherine (Humbertson) Kesner, said. "Now we have a car."
Saturday's reunion of the Humbertson clan included lively talk about how Humbertson came to be in Tulsa half a decade ago. That's when city residents buried a time capsule in the form of the spanking new Plymouth sedan, and when Humbertson cast one of the 812 entries. His was the winning one, and the career Marine predicted Tulsa's population in 2007 would be 384,743. The town's actual population is 382,457.
Because Humbertson died childless in 1979, and his wife Margaret passed away in 1988, Johnson, 93, and her sister LeVada (Humbertson) Carney, 83, are his closest living relatives. But he has a slew of nieces and nephews - all of whom are laying claim to being their uncle's favorite.
"With 18 of us, every year and a half the car can rotate through the family. We'll drive up here and pick it up from Catherine and Levada," Don Humbertson said. The sisters live together in Bowling Green.
"Levada already announced the highest bidder gets it," Sue (Humbertson) Gerhart said.
Among the growing list of humorous pleas for the Belvedere was nephew Al Humbertson's, "I was the oldest."
Sue said her husband Paul broke the news to her early Saturday morning, when he said, "You're not going to believe what was in today's paper." Sue added, "I wasn't even awake yet ... I thought he said, ‘Raymond buried a car and they just dug it up.' I said, ‘My God, is there a body in it?'"
Good-natured family ribbing aside, everyone continued to speculate how Raymond came to be in Oklahoma on June 15, 1957. After several attempts to chronicle family events, they finally figured it out.
"What we think is, our grandfather was probably sick," nephew Ace Humbertson Jr. said. They believe Raymond came back to Cumberland after returning to San Diego, stopping in Tulsa along the way. "He probably got word his dad was sick," Ace said. Raymond's father, Azariah Humbertson, had both legs amputated not long before he died in August 1957 - and his loving son would have returned home to see his father, Ace added.
The rest of the puzzle remains a mystery, though. They speculate that Raymond stayed overnight in Tulsa, and perhaps had a bite to eat at a local diner - where he may have filled out the form for the time capsule contest. As far as why he chose the numbers he did - no one knows. In fact, they said Raymond wasn't a great math or science whiz. "For all we know, he could have picked those numbers because (the cost of his meals were) $3.84 and $7.43, or something like that," Ace added.
While some Humbertsons didn't learn about the Belvedere until Saturday, two of them knew Friday night. Dina (Humbertson) Lawyer's father-in-law had been following the story "for years." He called her Friday afternoon from Mississippi, telling her to get online. "He's really into old cars and ... it's a story that caught his attention and he just followed it," Lawyer said. "I think it's just outstanding. It's something you would never think would happen."
But it did happen, and the close-knit family intends for sisters Catherine and Levada to fly to Tulsa to see their new prize. "I would love to see them out there because I would like to see history with their picture, with that vehicle," Kesner, who is Levada's daughter, said.
With some gentle urging, Catherine, who has never flown, agreed she "might do it."
Levada was a little more willing. "Give me some sleeping pills or something, and I won't know I'm on the plane," Levada said.∼Raymond Humbertson
Raymond was the son of Azariah Humbertson and Mary Elizabeth (Anderson) Humbertson. Raymond was born in Cumberland, Maryland and had brothers:Charles, Albert O.; Ace H. Humbertson, Sr.
SSN: 215-16-4982
Last Residence: 22204 Arlington, Arlington, Virginia, United States of America
Born: 8 Jul 1921
Died: May 1979--Last Benefit: 22204 Arlington, Arlington, Virginia, United States of America
State (Year) SSN issued: Maryland (Before 1951 )
His obit lists a wife named Margaret and several brothers, and sisters, but no children. Margaret died in 1988.
Raymond was a career Marine and a Korean War veteran who spent the last few years of his life as an administrator at Northern Virginia Community College.
Raymond died of cancer at age 57.
************************************************************
The 1930 census for Cumberland, MD shows Raymond E. Humberston to be a son to and a part of this household:
Azariah, father, 42 years old (b. app. 1888)
Mary, mother, 40 yrs.old (b.app. 1890)
Albert, son, 20 yrs. old (b.app. 1910)
Azariah H., son, 18 yrs. old (b.app. 1912)
Catherine, daughter, 16 yrs. old (b.app. 1914)
Charles E., son, 11 yrs. old (b.app. 1919)
Levada P., daughter, 6 yrs. old (b.app.1924)
__________________________________________________
"Belvedere Winner Announced"
By Staff Reports Cumberland Times
Published: 6/22/2007 12:14 PM
Last Modified: 6/22/2007 12:18 PM
R.E. Humbertson where are you? Your Belvedere is ready.
Humbertson, who would be 85 years old, won the 1957 contest to guess Tulsa's 2007 population.
First prize: A 1957 Plymouth Belvedere that was buried in the Tulsa County Courthouse lawn for 50 years and unearthed last week.
Humbertson's victory over some 800 other contestants was announced Friday at a press conference with the car, which turned out to be a rusted hulk despite 1957 state-of-the-art efforts to protect it.
Humbertson or his descendants have five years to claim the vehicle, which was redubbed ``Miss Belvedere'' by officials who organized the unearthing effort.
Humbertson listed his place of birth as Cumberland, Maryland, but little else is known about him.
On Saturday at tulsaworld.com, find all the contestants and their guesses in the Belvedere contest.
Special section: Find complete coverage of the buried car, including videos, stories and slide shows. Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=070622_1__Humbe31465
Taken from Cumberland Evening Times..
RAYMOND HUMBERTSON
FROSTBURG -- Raymond E. Humbertson, 57, of 2815 9th Street, South Arlington, Va., died yesterday in National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md. He was a former resident of Cumberland. Born in Cumberland, he was a son of the late Ace Humbertson and Mary E. (Anderson) Humbertson.
A veteran of World War II and the Korean War, he was a retired Marine and a member of the Marine Corp Reserve Association and National Guard, Cumberland, and of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Arlington.
Surviving are his widow, Margaret (Hargosh) Humbertson, formerly of Frostburg; three brothers, Albert Humbertson, Parkersburg, W.Va.; Ace Humbertson, Bowling Green; Earl Humbertson, Cumberland; two sisters, Mrs. Catherine Johnson, Bowling Green, and Mrs. LaVada Carney, Cumberland.
Friends will be recieved at the Durst Funeral Home from 7 to 9 p.m. today and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. tomorrow.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday at 9:30 a.m. in St. Michael's Catholic Church. Interment will be in the parish cemetery. Farrady Post 24, American Legion will accord military honors at gravesite.
The family suggests expressions of sympathy take the form of memorials to the American Cancer Society.
Raymond Humbertson fondly remembered - Daleen Berry
Cumberland Times-News
FROSTBURG - Unlike the resurrected 1957 Plymouth Belvedere awaiting his heirs in Tulsa, Okla., the gifts given by Raymond Humbertson have withstood the test of time - and tell the tale of a beloved brother and uncle.
The man whose 50-year-old prediction was unearthed along with the vintage car June 15, "R.E. Humbertson" turned out to be Raymond Eugene - a Cumberland native whose family just learned he unknowingly left them one, final last gift.
It would be just like him. Humbertson's return trips from Japan while on leave from the military included presents for everyone - sets of Noritake china, silk prints and ornate jewelry boxes. The 18 nieces and nephews still have many of Raymond's gifts.
Raymond's sisters remember him being just as loving to them. "Every time he came he always brought me up something. He was just so good to me," said Catherine (Humbertson) Johnson.
"He always had something special for us," niece Mary Catherine (Humbertson) Kesner, said. "Now we have a car."
Saturday's reunion of the Humbertson clan included lively talk about how Humbertson came to be in Tulsa half a decade ago. That's when city residents buried a time capsule in the form of the spanking new Plymouth sedan, and when Humbertson cast one of the 812 entries. His was the winning one, and the career Marine predicted Tulsa's population in 2007 would be 384,743. The town's actual population is 382,457.
Because Humbertson died childless in 1979, and his wife Margaret passed away in 1988, Johnson, 93, and her sister LeVada (Humbertson) Carney, 83, are his closest living relatives. But he has a slew of nieces and nephews - all of whom are laying claim to being their uncle's favorite.
"With 18 of us, every year and a half the car can rotate through the family. We'll drive up here and pick it up from Catherine and Levada," Don Humbertson said. The sisters live together in Bowling Green.
"Levada already announced the highest bidder gets it," Sue (Humbertson) Gerhart said.
Among the growing list of humorous pleas for the Belvedere was nephew Al Humbertson's, "I was the oldest."
Sue said her husband Paul broke the news to her early Saturday morning, when he said, "You're not going to believe what was in today's paper." Sue added, "I wasn't even awake yet ... I thought he said, ‘Raymond buried a car and they just dug it up.' I said, ‘My God, is there a body in it?'"
Good-natured family ribbing aside, everyone continued to speculate how Raymond came to be in Oklahoma on June 15, 1957. After several attempts to chronicle family events, they finally figured it out.
"What we think is, our grandfather was probably sick," nephew Ace Humbertson Jr. said. They believe Raymond came back to Cumberland after returning to San Diego, stopping in Tulsa along the way. "He probably got word his dad was sick," Ace said. Raymond's father, Azariah Humbertson, had both legs amputated not long before he died in August 1957 - and his loving son would have returned home to see his father, Ace added.
The rest of the puzzle remains a mystery, though. They speculate that Raymond stayed overnight in Tulsa, and perhaps had a bite to eat at a local diner - where he may have filled out the form for the time capsule contest. As far as why he chose the numbers he did - no one knows. In fact, they said Raymond wasn't a great math or science whiz. "For all we know, he could have picked those numbers because (the cost of his meals were) $3.84 and $7.43, or something like that," Ace added.
While some Humbertsons didn't learn about the Belvedere until Saturday, two of them knew Friday night. Dina (Humbertson) Lawyer's father-in-law had been following the story "for years." He called her Friday afternoon from Mississippi, telling her to get online. "He's really into old cars and ... it's a story that caught his attention and he just followed it," Lawyer said. "I think it's just outstanding. It's something you would never think would happen."
But it did happen, and the close-knit family intends for sisters Catherine and Levada to fly to Tulsa to see their new prize. "I would love to see them out there because I would like to see history with their picture, with that vehicle," Kesner, who is Levada's daughter, said.
With some gentle urging, Catherine, who has never flown, agreed she "might do it."
Levada was a little more willing. "Give me some sleeping pills or something, and I won't know I'm on the plane," Levada said.∼Raymond Humbertson
Raymond was the son of Azariah Humbertson and Mary Elizabeth (Anderson) Humbertson. Raymond was born in Cumberland, Maryland and had brothers:Charles, Albert O.; Ace H. Humbertson, Sr.
SSN: 215-16-4982
Last Residence: 22204 Arlington, Arlington, Virginia, United States of America
Born: 8 Jul 1921
Died: May 1979--Last Benefit: 22204 Arlington, Arlington, Virginia, United States of America
State (Year) SSN issued: Maryland (Before 1951 )
His obit lists a wife named Margaret and several brothers, and sisters, but no children. Margaret died in 1988.
Raymond was a career Marine and a Korean War veteran who spent the last few years of his life as an administrator at Northern Virginia Community College.
Raymond died of cancer at age 57.
************************************************************
The 1930 census for Cumberland, MD shows Raymond E. Humberston to be a son to and a part of this household:
Azariah, father, 42 years old (b. app. 1888)
Mary, mother, 40 yrs.old (b.app. 1890)
Albert, son, 20 yrs. old (b.app. 1910)
Azariah H., son, 18 yrs. old (b.app. 1912)
Catherine, daughter, 16 yrs. old (b.app. 1914)
Charles E., son, 11 yrs. old (b.app. 1919)
Levada P., daughter, 6 yrs. old (b.app.1924)
__________________________________________________
"Belvedere Winner Announced"
By Staff Reports Cumberland Times
Published: 6/22/2007 12:14 PM
Last Modified: 6/22/2007 12:18 PM
R.E. Humbertson where are you? Your Belvedere is ready.
Humbertson, who would be 85 years old, won the 1957 contest to guess Tulsa's 2007 population.
First prize: A 1957 Plymouth Belvedere that was buried in the Tulsa County Courthouse lawn for 50 years and unearthed last week.
Humbertson's victory over some 800 other contestants was announced Friday at a press conference with the car, which turned out to be a rusted hulk despite 1957 state-of-the-art efforts to protect it.
Humbertson or his descendants have five years to claim the vehicle, which was redubbed ``Miss Belvedere'' by officials who organized the unearthing effort.
Humbertson listed his place of birth as Cumberland, Maryland, but little else is known about him.
On Saturday at tulsaworld.com, find all the contestants and their guesses in the Belvedere contest.
Special section: Find complete coverage of the buried car, including videos, stories and slide shows. Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=070622_1__Humbe31465
RAYMOND HUMBERTSON
FROSTBURG -- Raymond E. Humbertson, 57, of 2815 9th Street, South Arlington, Va., died yesterday in National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md. He was a former resident of Cumberland. Born in Cumberland, he was a son of the late Ace Humbertson and Mary E. (Anderson) Humbertson.
A veteran of World War II and the Korean War, he was a retired Marine and a member of the Marine Corp Reserve Association and National Guard, Cumberland, and of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Arlington.
Surviving are his widow, Margaret (Hargosh) Humbertson, formerly of Frostburg; three brothers, Albert Humbertson, Parkersburg, W.Va.; Ace Humbertson, Bowling Green; Earl Humbertson, Cumberland; two sisters, Mrs. Catherine Johnson, Bowling Green, and Mrs. LaVada Carney, Cumberland.
Friends will be recieved at the Durst Funeral Home from 7 to 9 p.m. today and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. tomorrow.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday at 9:30 a.m. in St. Michael's Catholic Church. Interment will be in the parish cemetery. Farrady Post 24, American Legion will accord military honors at gravesite.
The family suggests expressions of sympathy take the form of memorials to the American Cancer Society.
Raymond Humbertson fondly remembered - Daleen Berry
Cumberland Times-News
FROSTBURG - Unlike the resurrected 1957 Plymouth Belvedere awaiting his heirs in Tulsa, Okla., the gifts given by Raymond Humbertson have withstood the test of time - and tell the tale of a beloved brother and uncle.
The man whose 50-year-old prediction was unearthed along with the vintage car June 15, "R.E. Humbertson" turned out to be Raymond Eugene - a Cumberland native whose family just learned he unknowingly left them one, final last gift.
It would be just like him. Humbertson's return trips from Japan while on leave from the military included presents for everyone - sets of Noritake china, silk prints and ornate jewelry boxes. The 18 nieces and nephews still have many of Raymond's gifts.
Raymond's sisters remember him being just as loving to them. "Every time he came he always brought me up something. He was just so good to me," said Catherine (Humbertson) Johnson.
"He always had something special for us," niece Mary Catherine (Humbertson) Kesner, said. "Now we have a car."
Saturday's reunion of the Humbertson clan included lively talk about how Humbertson came to be in Tulsa half a decade ago. That's when city residents buried a time capsule in the form of the spanking new Plymouth sedan, and when Humbertson cast one of the 812 entries. His was the winning one, and the career Marine predicted Tulsa's population in 2007 would be 384,743. The town's actual population is 382,457.
Because Humbertson died childless in 1979, and his wife Margaret passed away in 1988, Johnson, 93, and her sister LeVada (Humbertson) Carney, 83, are his closest living relatives. But he has a slew of nieces and nephews - all of whom are laying claim to being their uncle's favorite.
"With 18 of us, every year and a half the car can rotate through the family. We'll drive up here and pick it up from Catherine and Levada," Don Humbertson said. The sisters live together in Bowling Green.
"Levada already announced the highest bidder gets it," Sue (Humbertson) Gerhart said.
Among the growing list of humorous pleas for the Belvedere was nephew Al Humbertson's, "I was the oldest."
Sue said her husband Paul broke the news to her early Saturday morning, when he said, "You're not going to believe what was in today's paper." Sue added, "I wasn't even awake yet ... I thought he said, ‘Raymond buried a car and they just dug it up.' I said, ‘My God, is there a body in it?'"
Good-natured family ribbing aside, everyone continued to speculate how Raymond came to be in Oklahoma on June 15, 1957. After several attempts to chronicle family events, they finally figured it out.
"What we think is, our grandfather was probably sick," nephew Ace Humbertson Jr. said. They believe Raymond came back to Cumberland after returning to San Diego, stopping in Tulsa along the way. "He probably got word his dad was sick," Ace said. Raymond's father, Azariah Humbertson, had both legs amputated not long before he died in August 1957 - and his loving son would have returned home to see his father, Ace added.
The rest of the puzzle remains a mystery, though. They speculate that Raymond stayed overnight in Tulsa, and perhaps had a bite to eat at a local diner - where he may have filled out the form for the time capsule contest. As far as why he chose the numbers he did - no one knows. In fact, they said Raymond wasn't a great math or science whiz. "For all we know, he could have picked those numbers because (the cost of his meals were) $3.84 and $7.43, or something like that," Ace added.
While some Humbertsons didn't learn about the Belvedere until Saturday, two of them knew Friday night. Dina (Humbertson) Lawyer's father-in-law had been following the story "for years." He called her Friday afternoon from Mississippi, telling her to get online. "He's really into old cars and ... it's a story that caught his attention and he just followed it," Lawyer said. "I think it's just outstanding. It's something you would never think would happen."
But it did happen, and the close-knit family intends for sisters Catherine and Levada to fly to Tulsa to see their new prize. "I would love to see them out there because I would like to see history with their picture, with that vehicle," Kesner, who is Levada's daughter, said.
With some gentle urging, Catherine, who has never flown, agreed she "might do it."
Levada was a little more willing. "Give me some sleeping pills or something, and I won't know I'm on the plane," Levada said.∼Raymond Humbertson
Raymond was the son of Azariah Humbertson and Mary Elizabeth (Anderson) Humbertson. Raymond was born in Cumberland, Maryland and had brothers:Charles, Albert O.; Ace H. Humbertson, Sr.
SSN: 215-16-4982
Last Residence: 22204 Arlington, Arlington, Virginia, United States of America
Born: 8 Jul 1921
Died: May 1979--Last Benefit: 22204 Arlington, Arlington, Virginia, United States of America
State (Year) SSN issued: Maryland (Before 1951 )
His obit lists a wife named Margaret and several brothers, and sisters, but no children. Margaret died in 1988.
Raymond was a career Marine and a Korean War veteran who spent the last few years of his life as an administrator at Northern Virginia Community College.
Raymond died of cancer at age 57.
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The 1930 census for Cumberland, MD shows Raymond E. Humberston to be a son to and a part of this household:
Azariah, father, 42 years old (b. app. 1888)
Mary, mother, 40 yrs.old (b.app. 1890)
Albert, son, 20 yrs. old (b.app. 1910)
Azariah H., son, 18 yrs. old (b.app. 1912)
Catherine, daughter, 16 yrs. old (b.app. 1914)
Charles E., son, 11 yrs. old (b.app. 1919)
Levada P., daughter, 6 yrs. old (b.app.1924)
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"Belvedere Winner Announced"
By Staff Reports Cumberland Times
Published: 6/22/2007 12:14 PM
Last Modified: 6/22/2007 12:18 PM
R.E. Humbertson where are you? Your Belvedere is ready.
Humbertson, who would be 85 years old, won the 1957 contest to guess Tulsa's 2007 population.
First prize: A 1957 Plymouth Belvedere that was buried in the Tulsa County Courthouse lawn for 50 years and unearthed last week.
Humbertson's victory over some 800 other contestants was announced Friday at a press conference with the car, which turned out to be a rusted hulk despite 1957 state-of-the-art efforts to protect it.
Humbertson or his descendants have five years to claim the vehicle, which was redubbed ``Miss Belvedere'' by officials who organized the unearthing effort.
Humbertson listed his place of birth as Cumberland, Maryland, but little else is known about him.
On Saturday at tulsaworld.com, find all the contestants and their guesses in the Belvedere contest.
Special section: Find complete coverage of the buried car, including videos, stories and slide shows. Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=070622_1__Humbe31465
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