Obituary for Martha Jean Sumner (Hunter)
Martha Jean (Hunter) Sumner, 81, of Simsbury, beloved wife of the late Roy Lee Sumner, died Friday July 26, 2019 at her home. She was born February 6, 1938 in Albany, GA, where she was raised, daughter of the late James Horace and Jessie Mae (Russell) Hunter. After graduating from Albany High School, she attended Florida State University for two years, where she was President of Phi Mu Sorority. As her late husband was employed at The Hartford Insurance Group, she and her family moved to Simsbury 50 years ago for a couple of years, and, following five years in Concord, California, returned to Simsbury in 1976.
Jean was a rotating President of the Simsbury Woman’s Club and instrumental in organizing the club’s Annual Arts & Crafts Festival. She was active in her church’s Rachel’s Circle, and in the church widely, a devoted nursing home visitor, and maintained close ties with fellow families she met through the Hartford Insurance Group. She was an avid reader, played bridge in ladies’ circles, and before losing a step or two, loved her golf days.
She was a loving, dedicated homemaker who, after her children were beyond elementary school, worked part-time at a local antique shop and then worked in the marketing of a Hungarian folk art importer. Jean later worked full-time as an optometric assistant at the office of then-local optometrist, Emile Massicotte. Many may remember her from that office.
She is survived by two sons, James Sumner and Stephen Sumner; daughter, Laura Sumner; sister, Penny Henger; three nephews, Jeff Sumner, Mark Sumner, and Chris Henger, and their wives; three nieces, Susan Barrowclough, Cindy Sullivan, and Jenny Jenkins, and their husbands, and many great nieces and nephews.
There are no calling hours. A memorial service will be celebrated at 11:00am on Thursday, August 8, at the Simsbury United Methodist Church, 799 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury. A private internment will precede the service in the Sycamore Mausoleum at Simsbury Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to a charity of your choice. Vincent Funeral Home, 880 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury is caring for the arrangements. Please visit Jean’s “Book of Memories’ at www.vincentfuneralhome.com for online condolences.
Jean was a rotating President of the Simsbury Woman’s Club and instrumental in organizing the club’s Annual Arts & Crafts Festival. She was active in her church’s Rachel’s Circle, and in the church widely, a devoted nursing home visitor, and maintained close ties with fellow families she met through the Hartford Insurance Group. She was an avid reader, played bridge in ladies’ circles, and before losing a step or two, loved her golf days.
She was a loving, dedicated homemaker who, after her children were beyond elementary school, worked part-time at a local antique shop and then worked in the marketing of a Hungarian folk art importer. Jean later worked full-time as an optometric assistant at the office of then-local optometrist, Emile Massicotte. Many may remember her from that office.
She is survived by two sons, James Sumner and Stephen Sumner; daughter, Laura Sumner; sister, Penny Henger; three nephews, Jeff Sumner, Mark Sumner, and Chris Henger, and their wives; three nieces, Susan Barrowclough, Cindy Sullivan, and Jenny Jenkins, and their husbands, and many great nieces and nephews.
There are no calling hours. A memorial service will be celebrated at 11:00am on Thursday, August 8, at the Simsbury United Methodist Church, 799 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury. A private internment will precede the service in the Sycamore Mausoleum at Simsbury Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to a charity of your choice. Vincent Funeral Home, 880 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury is caring for the arrangements. Please visit Jean’s “Book of Memories’ at www.vincentfuneralhome.com for online condolences.