Dr. Warner S. Bump was a pioneering physician whose contributions to medical care and the Rhinelander community left a lasting legacy.
Born in Wausau on April 29, 1901, he attended the University of Wisconsin before earning his medical degree from Rush Medical College at the University of Chicago. After completing his internship at St. Luke’s Hospital in Chicago, he spent five and a half years on the hospital’s surgical staff. Dr. Bump also taught surgery at Rush Medical College and Northwestern University before moving to Rhinelander in 1928.
Dr. Bump’s decision to move to Rhinelander was due to the ill health of his first wife, Ruth, and the clean, fresh air of the Northwoods. He joined Dr. C.A. Richards’ practice above the First National Bank in downtown Rhinelander, and soon became an integral part of the community.
In 1941, he founded the Bump Medical Group and broke ground for the Bump Medical Building on Kabel Avenue, near St. Mary’s Hospital in Rhinelander. The clinic would later grow into a hub for medical specialists, becoming one of the largest and most modern medical facilities in the region. The old Bump Clinic is still standing and was until recently used by the Rhinelander Aspirus hospital.
Dr. Bump was deeply committed to medical education, serving as a preceptor for senior medical students. Over 150 physicians learned from him and his colleagues at the Bump Medical Group.
His contributions to healthcare were widely recognized, earning him the Max Fox Preceptor Award in 1973 for his work in medical education and the William Beaumont Award in 1970 as an outstanding U.S. surgeon. In 1983, he was honored as a 50-year member of the Rhinelander Rotary Club. He also served as past president and secretary of the Wisconsin Surgical Society.
He played a key role In the reorganization of the American Cancer Society, serving as the first chairman of the executive committee of the Wisconsin Division and sat on the national board, representing Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, and Iowa.
From 1956 to 1972, Dr. Bump served as Chief of Staff at St. Mary’s Hospital, where his leadership contributed to the hospital’s development. His impact on the community extended beyond medicine. He was involved in promoting the arts, including helping establish the Ruth Bump Collection of Art at the Rhinelander District Library and supporting the Northern Arts Council. He also played a key role in the development of Nicolet College, serving as chairman of the Citizens for Nicolet College during its successful bonding referendum.
Dr. Bump’s contributions were not only professional but also humanitarian. His vision for the community was holistic, emphasizing the importance of family, culture, and medical care. As the founder of the Bump Medical Group, he played a pivotal role in attracting specialists and expanding medical services in Rhinelander. In recognition of his service, he was honored as Rhinelander’s longest-serving physician.
His dedication to his patients, his contributions to medical education, and his efforts to enrich the community’s cultural and educational resources made him a beloved figure in Rhinelander.
Dr. Warner S. Bump lived in his later years near Nicolet College on a small body of water known as Bump Lake. He passed away in Tucson, Arizona in 1984 at the age of 82. His wife, Bernice, was his only immediate survivor. Although he had no children, his legacy lives on in the health services he helped develop in the Northwoods, but also in the cultural and educational institutions he supported throughout his life.
Most everyone in the Rhinelander area still recognizes the name, Dr. Bump. He covered a wide swath of healthcare in his day, from surgeries, to deliveries, to house calls, and is remembered as being kind, patient, and caring, all the things you want in a good doctor.
Resources: News articles from the Rhinelander Daily News, and Wausau Daily Herald: 1960-1984
