2013 Distinguished Service Award Recipients - Ezekiel R. (Zeke) Dumke, Jr. and Katherine White Dumke.
Born in Ogden, Utah, Zeke and Kay both came from families with interest in community service and philanthropy. Zeke’s father, Dr. Ezekiel R. Dumke was a noted Ogden surgeon and one of the founders of the Ogden Surgical Society. His mother, Edna Wattis Dumke, was very involved with many music, theater and dance programs in Ogden. Kay’s father Rulon White, was a successful business owner, commercial fruit producer and a former mayor of Ogden, so the idea of “Service above Self” came naturally to both of them. Both parents were involved with community and public service.
They gave their first gift to the School of Medicine in 1966 and by the early 1990’s their involvement with the school and the health sciences had increased significantly, both in time commitment and through their charitable giving. Zeke has served on the University Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees and on the University Hospital Board, Kay on the University Nursing Development board and both of them serve, Zeke as a past-president, on the Health Sciences Council. Through their foundation, The Katherine W. Dumke and Ezekiel R. Dumke Jr. Foundation they have endowed a chair to support the Division of General Internal Medicine. They were instrumental in the establishment of the Dr. Ezekiel R. and Edna Wattis Dumke Health Professions Building.
Zeke was one of the founders and president of Western States Management, the University of Utah Hospital Foundation, the Salt Lake Rotary Foundation, Dumke Insurance Agency, the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Utah and several mining companies. He served as past president of the Museum of Natural History, Red Butte Gardens, the Alta Club, Salt Lake Rotary Club and the Salt Lake Art Center
They have been supporters through their foundation of women’s athletics, especially women’s soccer and gymnastics. The Katherine W. Dumke Fine Arts & Architecture Library in the Marriott Library bears her name for her commitment to the arts. Kay was past chair and board member for many years of the Neighborhood House, a program that provides affordable day care and support services to children and adults. They have both received numerous honors from the University of Utah and in the greater community for their service.
Zeke and Kay have four children, Betsy (Scott) Thornton, Claire (Steve) Ryberg, Zeke (Angela) Dumke III, and Andrea (Mike) Manship, who are their greatest source of pride.
