Wardie Franklin Sumner

(July 17, 1918 – October 5, 2016)

Wardie Franklin “Frank” Sumner, 98, of Bowie, passed away on October 5, 2016. He is survived by his wife, Jane Kimmey Sumner, to whom he was married for 67 years. Frank was a kind, caring, loving, family-oriented, hard-working, honest man. The 54-year resident of Bowie enjoyed traveling with his family by motor home to visit friends and relatives. Frank logged many miles completing multiple cross-country trips.

Frank is also survived by a daughter, Patricia Jane Sumner and her husband Charles Mangano of Frederick and a son, William Kimmey Sumner and his wife Sandy of Gambrills; six grandchildren: Christopher Franklin Sumner and his wife Katherine, Shawn O’Quinn, Jessica O’Quinn, Kimberly Miller and her husband Curtis, Tyler Sumner and Zachary Sumner; two great-grandchildren: Cynthia and Chase; three brothers: Everett of Quarryville, PA, William of Oxford, PA and Norman and his wife Ruth of Ambler, PA; two sisters, Margaret Blackburn and her husband Ralph of Oxford and Ruth Ann Ross and her husband Richard of Aston, PA; a sister-in-law, Edith Sumner, Oxford, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Ann L. Sumner, and three brothers, George, Hubert and Martin Sumner.

Frank was born in Christiansburg, Virginia, the first of nine children of the late William Wardie Sumner and Annie Lee (Adkins) Sumner. He grew up on the family dairy farm near Oxford, Pa. He graduated from the University of Delaware in 1940 with a degree in Agricultural Education. Later that summer tragedy struck when his father was suddenly killed in a farming accident. Thus, at age 22 began Frank’s family responsibilities to his “first” family which continued through his “third” family when he and Jane became guardians for their first grandson.

During WWII, Frank served with the United States Army Air Forces. He worked for Ralston Purina, Nationwide Insurance and retired from the Maryland State Department of Education.

If desired, contributions may be made in his memory to Christian Community Presbyterian Church, 3120 Belair Drive, Bowie, MD 20715.