The Engineer: Matt Bumgarner

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Those acquainted with Matt know he was never at a loss for words. His words endure in the memories of his loved ones and beyond the pages of his publications. As an author himself, Matt took great inspiration from his favorite American humorist, Mark Twain. Much like Twain, Matt was a champion of the underdog and an outspoken progressive thinker. This Twain quote conjures a vision of who Matt was:

"Always do right. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest." --M. Twain

These are words that Matt lived by. He had boundless compassion for humans and animals. And an insatiable desire to catalog every crumb of local history he could uncover.

Matthew authored numerous books and published even more under his company, Tarheel Press. Matt’s publishing ventures were specific to the subjects that fascinated him: the Civil War and local railroad history. His approach to cataloging the history of the South is best summarized in his own words: “Have fun, preserve your heritage, and pass the knowledge along.” 

Matt worked tirelessly with friends at the Newton Depot to uncover, preserve, and document local railway history. As an acting board member and secretary to the Newton Depot Authority, Matt could always be found on the weekends in his favorite train station. Depot volunteers who worked with Matt knew well that there was always a new project to tackle--be it bush-whacking a locomotive out of the woods, restoring a Ford Model T depot hack, or organizing the yearly Hickory Train Show. This is the kind of work Matt lived for. The Newton Depot train museum was one of Matt’s many lifelong passions.

Bumgarner graduated from Saint Stephens High School as Valedictorian in 1984. He could be seen driving his white-purple ‘64 MG Convertible to car shows with his dad Bruce on weekends. He remained close with his beloved high school friends all his life (and the MG is still around, too.) Matt graduated from North Carolina State University in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. He was a devout Wolfpack fan. After graduating it was clear he had a penchant for business, and he went on to found numerous companies including: Stealth Laboratories, Razr Lighting, Lumenosity, Tarheel Press, and Caboose Properties. He was a true businessman with a heart of gold. 

Matthew’s accomplishments in life are seemingly infinite and impossible to list. A gifted and generous raconteur in life, Matt's impression continues to echo throughout his community. The Bumgarner family is grateful for the numerous kind messages from those whose lives were reached by Matt's warmth