Hume’s Tradition Lives On

Marvin Irvin Hume, an acclaimed community figure, passed away at the age of 94 on April 25, 2015 at Cape Regional Medical Center. The World War II Navy veteran was known for his patriotic sunset ceremonies paying homage to veterans, held nightly on his property at Sunset Beach. Hume was a member of DAV Chapter 44 of Del Haven, Chapter 184 of the American Legion of Wildwood and the Peterson Little Post 386 of the VFW in Cape May.
Hume was a 1938 graduate of Collingswood High School and attended the University of Pennsylvania until entering the Navy during World War II. He was an Aviation Machinist’s Mate on five different aircraft carriers teaching Navy personnel how to repair airplane parts. The last carrier he served on was the USS Megara until his discharge in 1945.
After being discharged, he moved to St. Louis, Missouri where he worked as a tool and die maker at McDonald Aircraft, and met his wife and started a family.
His dream had always been to open a retail store on the Atlantic City boardwalk, so in 1957, he moved back east and opened his first store, “The Boardwalk Rock and Shell Shop,” which operated for over 20 years. In 1973, he purchased the property at Sunset Beach and relocated the operation, leaving Atlantic City to make Sunset Beach his permanent location. Today, the Sunset Beach property is family owned and operated and contains three gift shops, a grille and mini golf.
Hume is survived by his life companion of 30 years, Patricia Wolfe; his sons, Larry (Michele) Hume and Brian Hume; and his daughters, Kathy Hume and Sharon (Chick) Bloom. Also surviving are six grandchildren and two great grandchildren. All of Hume’s children help run Sunset Beach, especially Larry, who took the business and made it grow.
Hume left behind a long waiting list of families wishing to honor their heroes at Marvin’s Flag Pole, and luckily these families will get this chance. Hume’s family has decided to continue the tradition of the nightly sunset flag ceremonies.
The sunset ceremonies often attract hundreds of people wanting to pay their respects to the fallen. After flying a veteran’s casket flag on the flagpole at Sunset Beach during the day, the Hume family lowers that flag at sunset to recognize the service and dedication of our veterans, while overlooking the Delaware Bay near the sunken SS Atlantus. The ceremonies are filmed and broadcast on national television networks.
Sharon Bloom, Hume’s daughter, shared that after Hume’s passing, many people assumed that the sunset ceremonies were over, but in reality that was the furthest thing from the truth. It was a no brainer for the family to continue the ceremonies, not as a money maker or a way to get people to Sunset Beach, but to continue honoring veterans and giving closure to their families. “The ceremonies are as important to us as they were to my father. As long as the family is down at Sunset Beach and breathing, those flag ceremonies will continue,” said Sharon.
Sharon recently accepted an award on behalf of her father at the Lower Township Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Installation Dinner – the 2015 Posthumous Award presented to Marvin Hume in honor of his allegiance to his country and his community. Sharon felt proud and honored to accept the award, and she knows her father would have loved receiving the award – not for himself, but because he loved anything that brought attention to veterans.
The sunset ceremonies will begin again during Memorial Day weekend and run through the end of September, seven nights a week, weather permitting. The family lowers the flag about 30 minutes prior to sunset so people can pay their respects and then turn around and enjoy the beautiful sunset.