Edward A. Gumbs Of Southampton Dies February 10

Edward Albert Gumbs of the Shinnecock Indian Nation died on February 10 at Stony Brook Hospital. He was 58.

He was born on March 18, 1962, the youngest son of the late Harriett “Princess Starleaf” Crippen Brown Gumbs and the late Launcelot A. Gumbs Sr. As a child, Mr. Gumbs was given the traditional name “Little Dear” by his parents and grandmother, Harriett Lee Crippen, because he ran around in the house so quickly that no one could catch him, no matter how hard they tried.

Mr. Gumbs was always a daredevil, his family said. He had to go faster, higher and further. He was also resourceful. If what he needed was not available to do what he wanted, he would make it. Mr. Gumbs once made a go-kart out of a hand truck, a wood crate and old tires; and when he needed a hill to test his creation, he chose a Catskill Mountain. Without hesitation, he darted down the slope and around blind corners, his hair streaming in the wind. No one knew that at the bottom was a busy street and Mr. Gumbs forgot the brakes. He stretched out his feet to grip the speeding pavement. When he stopped, his sneakers were smoking. He smiled a wide grin and let out a joyful howl.

That was Mr. Gumbs. He chased adventure to the edge of life and outfaced odds that would paralyze most people, his family said.

Mr. Gumbs grew up on the Northeast pow wow trail with the traveling companionship of his brother Launcelot A. Gumbs, nephews Phillip D. Brown V., Preston W. Brown, cousins Ferdinand “Ty” Lee, Donald Williams Jr., and Daniel “Danny” Collins Sr., whom he called brother. Mr. Gumbs was always the one to help his mother and aunt Florence Crippen pack the van and set up the pow wow stand — before running off to chase girls.

Mr. Gumbs attended Southampton High School, where he was not only known for his stoic good looks and charm, but also for his athleticism. As a teenager, Mr. Gumbs’s interest turned to bodybuilding under the tutelage of his father, an avid bodybuilder and trainer for the Fire Department of the City of New York as well as for the U.S. Olympic weightlifting team, under Coach Rudy Sablo. Mr. Gumbs entered several weightlifting competitions where he placed top 10 in his age category.

Initially, Mr. Gumbs’s natural speed led him to track and field; but combined with his brawn, he thrived on the gridiron. One of the most memorable games was when he and his nephew Phillip double teamed an East Hampton running back for talking trash. Mr. Gumbs hit him high and Phillip went low. They won the game and ended the player’s trash talk.

Mr. Gumbs earned his General Education Diploma and went on to work in pool installation, carpentry and masonry, much like his father, who was also a master builder for the U.S. Merchant Marines when he was stationed in the Aleutian Islands during World War II. Mr. Gumbs also helped at the family store, Shinnecock Indian Outpost, and worked with the grow and harvest team for the Shinnecock Oyster Hatchery.

Mr. Gumbs’s fascination for toy cars, go karts, or basically anything with wheels and a motor, transcended into his adulthood. He would joyride junk cars on the backroads to East Hampton with no license plates, including an old Volkswagen Beetle he resurrected from the dump. Mr. Gumbs acquired, lost and reacquired five times as many cars as his brother Lance ever owned in his lifetime. Upon their father’s death in 1977, Mr. Gumbs moved in with Danny and Wesley Collins’s family in Miami, where he purchased the most prized car of his fleet, the 1968 “Blue Rivie.”

Mr. Gumbs and Danny Collins trained in martial arts together and while they never competed against one another, they would wreak havoc on anyone who dared to challenge them, their family, their friends or Shinnecock. Some say this fierce loyalty to his family and friends earned him the nickname “Chief” among his peers. Mr. Gumbs was as real as they come, his family said. If you made friends with him, you and your entire family had a friend for life. He was generous, not only with his possessions or his finances, but also with his knowledge and resources.

Mr. Gumbs, who had an entrepreneurial spirit much like his mother, dreamed beyond conventional means. He was a brilliant and creative thinker, his family recalled, full of innovative ideas. When he shared a vision, people were persuaded to act on its potential. Not only was it a good idea, but Mr. Gumbs’s effortless charisma compelled you to follow his lead.

Mr. Gumbs’s infectious personality enabled him to amass a wealth of friendships and lifelong connections. No matter how grandiose or minute, if you needed something, Mr. Gumbs knew someone who could help. As a result, be it business or friendship, Mr. Gumbs always had a constant flow of people — who he had met either in passing or on his frequent travels to Florida and Jamaica — drop by the family store to say hello.

Mr. Gumbs’s array of entrepreneurial enterprises proved that he could do any and everything, his family said. From convincing his brother Lance to allow him to set up a “juice bar” at the Disco (the infamous teen club they founded on the Rez in the 1980s), to opening his own volleyball sports complex and Spanish eatery, Shinnecock Eats; Mr. Gumbs also had a landscaping business; an Ice Snow Cone stand at pow wow that he expanded to the highway last summer; and he recently helped to develop Wamp Bitcoin Cards, a gambling currency for digital coin. He also dabbled in modeling and acting throughout his lifetime.

Mr. Gumbs’s many precious qualities and legacy of endless possibilities live on through his greatest achievements — his children. Each of his children have been imprinted in their own way with his dynamic character, mannerisms and undeniable facial expressions. They are a reflection of his everlasting zeal for life and adventure.

Mr. Gumbs loved music and could play the drums to melodic precision without any formal training. He also enjoyed cooking, especially spicy foods. He would often travel to Manhattan for gyros and “real” sausage and pepper heroes. No pizza could ever be eaten plain. It had to have five or six toppings to be considered an official Eddie G. pizza.

Mr. Gumbs was an avid and involved dad who loved the time he spent with his family. He had a boundless pride for each one of his children and took every opportunity he had to express that to them. He would constantly encourage them to follow their dreams, fight for what they love, never give up, and remind them through words and action that they could do anything they put their minds to.

According to his children, “Daddy-My Dad-Our Father-Dear old Dad-Pops, Our Dad, was admired by the younger generation of Shinnecock for his originality, authenticity and wit. Whether it be his big joyous smile and that goofy funny jokester spirit; his unforgettable, infectious laugh; his fearless, ‘can’t be stopped,’ rebel mentality; or his classic stern angry face when there was no time for games; he will always be remembered for his diehard, fierce warrior spirit.”

To all family, Mr. Gumbs would always let his love be known with a quick “I love you babe,” or “stay safe,” and a kiss or a hug because he genuinely cherished life for the precious and time-sensitive commodity it is, his family said. He shared his love with many and humbly accepted the admiration of others and in return.

Aside from his children, Mr. Gumbs, his family said, reserved his greatest love for his mother, for whom he served as caretaker in the waning years of her life. He did his best to make his mother comfortable until her death on November 25, 2020, at the age of 99.

In addition to his parents, three aunts and six uncles, Mr. Gumbs was predeceased by an older brother, Phillip D. Brown IV, a niece, Paulette H. Brown, and a nephew, NaKea L. Perry-Gumbs.

He is survived by his fiancé and best friend, Kathy M. Bess; a brother, Launcelot A. Gumbs II; a sister-in-law, Carolyn L. Brown Gumbs; six daughters, Starleaf A. Gumbs, Sunshine K. Gumbs, Sierra S. Gumbs, Crystal A. Figueroa, Skyler E. Gumbs and Meesha N. Johnson; three sons, Cowan A. Gumbs. Dakota E. Ventresca and Strong Heart Warrior; three granddaughters, Cali D. Segree, Amiyah F. Gumbs and Summersnow Stith; and two grandsons, Chayton J. Segree and Blaize N. McCrary. He is also survived by six nephews, four nieces, 20 great-nieces and great-nephews, seven great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews and a wealth of cousins and lifelong friends.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Princess Starleaf’s Historical Museum, courtesy of Launcelot A. Gumbs, PO Box 1286, Southampton, NY 11969, would be appreciated.