Willie H. Sumner's Obituary
SUMNER, Willie H., age 93, of Bellbrook and formerly of Moraine, passed away Saturday, March 8, 2025, at Trinity of Beavercreek.
Willie grew up in Tennessee, around the LaFollette area, and married her childhood and high school sweetheart, Hugh Sumner. Willie attended Lincoln College and spent her working career in telecommunications at Bell Telephone Company, which ultimately became AT&T. Due to Willie’s experience at the phone company, and with the creation and activation of the 911 emergency phone system, she was in charge of the critical emergency service for this region upon its initial development. In addition, she was an active member of the AT&T Pioneers, which is a network of volunteers who effect immediate, tangible change in local communities. In addition, she was a charter member of the Miami Shores Baptist Church in Moraine.
Family-oriented, outgoing, friendly, positive and upbeat, Willie was open-minded, inquisitive, and loved talking with people. She was a great listener and showed interest in others with a caring personality. Some of her hobbies included playing cards with family and friends, bowling in her church league, and gardening. In addition, she loved to travel with friends to such exciting places as China, Germany, Alaska, Hawaii, through the Panama Canal, and Prince Edward Island. Later in her life, she took up dancing for fun. She and her husband, Hugh, especially enjoyed square dancing, round dancing, and ballroom dancing. She was also know as an incredible cook, and family will always remember her Swedish meatballs, home fries, soup beans, homemade dinner rolls, and especially her lemon meringue pie as some of her best.
Willie enjoyed several family traditions over the years of her life. For 45 years, she hosted “Friday Family Night,” weekly for her family, and occasionally friends of the family. Her family said it was such a fun evening that it was something they planned around and rarely missed. Willie created a full meal for everyone to enjoy, while encouraging engaging conversation and a spirit of togetherness. Later in life, when it became difficult for Willie to create the meal, the tradition changed to an evening out at a restaurant, which she insisted on paying for every week. She considered it her privilege to be able to take everyone out and get her family together. It was also a tradition for Willie and her husband to spend the winter months in Port Richey, Florida. In addition, Willie and her sisters took turns traveling to each others homes on a regular basis, regardless of the fact they lived in different states from each other. The round robin sister visits were designed so that they could stay connected with each other, provide upbeat support and care for one another, and enjoy each other’s company.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Hugh, in 2014; her parents, Oscar and Kate Harber; two brothers, Warren and Windell Harber; and three sisters, Mabel Bouey, Oakley Shirley, and Frieda Anderson. She is survived by two sons, Hugh Allen (Indy) Sumner and Earnest Warren (Nancy) Sumner; three grandchildren, Joel Sumner, Katie Sumner, and Ben Sumner; one brother, Ben Harber; one sister, Adaleen Ross; and several nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends 4:00 - 5:30 PM Friday, March 14, at Conner & Koch Funeral Home in Bellbrook. A celebration of life service will immediately follow the visitation on Friday at the funeral home, with Doug Surber officiating. If desired, contributions may be made to Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton. Condolences at www.connerandkoch.com.
What’s your fondest memory of Willie?
What’s a lesson you learned from Willie?
Share a story where Willie's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Willie you’ll never forget.
How did Willie make you smile?