John Dumschat Source: The County Agent, NACAA. Courtesy of Bruce Barbour
John F. Dumschat, 77, of Belvidere, NJ, passed away on March 22. Dumschat was a Rutgers graduate and was immediately drafted, serving in the Army as a combat sergeant during the Vietnam War. Upon his return to the States, he married Sarah Ellen Quinn. The two of them resided in various towns throughout New Jersey before calling Warren County home 40 years ago.
Dumschat was a “Jack of all trades” who loved farming, gardening, teaching and preaching. He served as 4-H agent for Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) of Warren County before transferring to RCE of Sussex County to serve as the dairy and field crops agent in the mid-1980s. He took over the management of a dairy farm in Warren County after leaving Extension. Later, he was employed by Mountainview Youth Correctional Facility for over 10 years before retiring in 2016. Dumschat was a man of deep faith and was ordained a Deacon May 7, 1983. He faithfully served at St. Patrick R.C. Church, Belvidere until his retirement in June of 2016.
Bruce Barbour, retired RCE Sussex County agent and former Chair in Department of Agriculture and Natural Resouces, shared the following memories and tribute:
“John was one of the best collaborators I ever had in Extension and a wonderful person as well. We collaborated on the “Farmer’s Market Line” which was one of the first computer-based retail marketing tools for farmers and we also enjoyed working together to deliver an educational series called “Business Management in Agriculture” which was a response to the farm crisis in the 80’s that attempted to enhance farm business management practice and skill. John also introduced intensive grazing as a new form of pasture management for dairy cattle in Sussex County.” Barbour shared some of the media coverage of their work on the programs (below).
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in John’s memory to Helyar House Scholarship at Rutgers University or St. Patrick R.C. Church, Belvidere, NJ.
