Obituary for Donna Louise Sumner
Donna Louise Sumner, age 91 of Watertown, SD, passed away on Wednesday, February 15, 2023 at Jenkins Living Center in Watertown.
PLEASE NOTE DATES DUE TO THE WEATHER: Visitation will be from 4-7 pm, Friday, February 24, 2023 at the Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel in Watertown.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 am, Saturday, February 25, 2023 at Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel with Reverend Sarah Sumner Eisenbraun officiating.
Burial will be at Mount Hope Cemetery in Watertown.
Memorials may be directed toward Watertown Community Foundation.
Donna was born in Omaha, NE to parents Violet A. Langley and Richard N. Langley. When she was 5 years old her family lived in Rapid City, SD for a year before moving to Watertown, SD. She started first grade with her sister Della and together they went through elementary, junior, and senior high school. Following graduation from Watertown Sr. High she attended the University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD.
Donna enjoyed being active as a young girl. Generally found outside playing with friends. She liked softball and played first base. She was a fast runner and often boasted about beating all the boys in a foot race.
Many summers were spent in Tripp County on the farm of her Nelson grandparents. Donna milked cows, raked hay, rode horse and was Grandpa Nelson’s summer hired hand. She enjoyed these summers and had many stories to share with her family of fond times.
Donna married Dean Sumner on September 9, 1951, and together they raised five sons – Scott, Rock, Clark, Brett, and Drew. She always said better five boys than five girls. She was an attentive mother and raised her boys to make their beds, accomplish many household chores, care for animals, and to respect the wooden spoon. She was a devoted grandmother and great grandmother. Always sending cards on birthdays and unique gifts.
Donna was an active volunteer during her life. She served as a Pink Lady to visit many hospital and nursing home patients. She was a den mother and 4-H leader. She served as a Regional Library volunteer and spent many hours reading books with elementary age children. She served as a board member for the Watertown Community Foundation.
Since she was six, Watertown has always been her home and for 85 years she had only one phone number.
She had many friends and wonderful neighbors. One of her favorite activities was being a member of the Foley Garden Club. She enjoyed playing bridge with the same group for decades. Donna also had her own version of the Golden Girls as she, Shirley Selchert and Cleo Meek traveled the world. Thank you for joining us today to celebrate a life well lived.
Donna is survived by sons Scott (Bobbi) Rapid City, SD, Rock (Anna) Omaha, NE, Clark, Long Beach, CA, Brett (Lori) Summit, SD, and Drew (Jill) Jarrell, TX, sister Dorothy “Dickie” Gergen, Chatsworth, CA, eleven grandchildren, and fourteen great grandchildren, several nieces, and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her husband Dean Sumner, daughter Stacey, her parents, Richard N. Langley and Violet A. Langley and in-laws Gerald and Ruth Sumner, sisters Della Bakke and Deloris “Bunny” Ring.
Arrangements by Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel-www.wightandcomes.com
PLEASE NOTE DATES DUE TO THE WEATHER: Visitation will be from 4-7 pm, Friday, February 24, 2023 at the Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel in Watertown.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 am, Saturday, February 25, 2023 at Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel with Reverend Sarah Sumner Eisenbraun officiating.
Burial will be at Mount Hope Cemetery in Watertown.
Memorials may be directed toward Watertown Community Foundation.
Donna was born in Omaha, NE to parents Violet A. Langley and Richard N. Langley. When she was 5 years old her family lived in Rapid City, SD for a year before moving to Watertown, SD. She started first grade with her sister Della and together they went through elementary, junior, and senior high school. Following graduation from Watertown Sr. High she attended the University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD.
Donna enjoyed being active as a young girl. Generally found outside playing with friends. She liked softball and played first base. She was a fast runner and often boasted about beating all the boys in a foot race.
Many summers were spent in Tripp County on the farm of her Nelson grandparents. Donna milked cows, raked hay, rode horse and was Grandpa Nelson’s summer hired hand. She enjoyed these summers and had many stories to share with her family of fond times.
Donna married Dean Sumner on September 9, 1951, and together they raised five sons – Scott, Rock, Clark, Brett, and Drew. She always said better five boys than five girls. She was an attentive mother and raised her boys to make their beds, accomplish many household chores, care for animals, and to respect the wooden spoon. She was a devoted grandmother and great grandmother. Always sending cards on birthdays and unique gifts.
Donna was an active volunteer during her life. She served as a Pink Lady to visit many hospital and nursing home patients. She was a den mother and 4-H leader. She served as a Regional Library volunteer and spent many hours reading books with elementary age children. She served as a board member for the Watertown Community Foundation.
Since she was six, Watertown has always been her home and for 85 years she had only one phone number.
She had many friends and wonderful neighbors. One of her favorite activities was being a member of the Foley Garden Club. She enjoyed playing bridge with the same group for decades. Donna also had her own version of the Golden Girls as she, Shirley Selchert and Cleo Meek traveled the world. Thank you for joining us today to celebrate a life well lived.
Donna is survived by sons Scott (Bobbi) Rapid City, SD, Rock (Anna) Omaha, NE, Clark, Long Beach, CA, Brett (Lori) Summit, SD, and Drew (Jill) Jarrell, TX, sister Dorothy “Dickie” Gergen, Chatsworth, CA, eleven grandchildren, and fourteen great grandchildren, several nieces, and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her husband Dean Sumner, daughter Stacey, her parents, Richard N. Langley and Violet A. Langley and in-laws Gerald and Ruth Sumner, sisters Della Bakke and Deloris “Bunny” Ring.
Arrangements by Wight & Comes Funeral Chapel-www.wightandcomes.com