Obituaries
Larry David Sumner, 83, Bristol native
JACKSON, Maine — Larry D. Sumner, 83, passed away peacefully Sept. 24, 2024, with his family by his side.
Larry was born and raised in Vermont. He grew up in Bristol, along with his three siblings, Hartland and twins, Robert and Roberta (lovingly called “Sis”). The youngest child of David and Luella (Cooke) Sumner, he was shy and quiet, but grew to be quite adventurous. As a teenager, he found a passion for riding horses and racing them. He won his first race on his horse, Bucky — a horse he won through a singing contest.
Larry was also a talented mechanic. Fixing cars and anything with an engine were hobbies that led him to an enlistment in the U.S. Army, where he served in an engineering battalion that eventually led him to a tour of duty in Germany. He fulfilled the remainder of his enlistment as a reservist in the Massachusetts Army Reserve. During his time in service, he met and married Charlotte, a woman who filled his life with laughter and whom he had five children with.
Larry was known for his hard work — a quality he would teach all of his children and expect in every aspect of their lives. “Nothing worth doing is worth doing poorly” was a sentiment his children remember him repeating quite frequently. He became a business owner of a gas station and mechanic service station, eventually selling it and moving on to work for a large-scale engineering and construction company. He received many promotions during his time there and through one such advancement, he moved his family to Maine. His career took him on several new paths; again, as a business owner and then finally as a quality control supervisor for the State of Maine Department of Transportation.
Larry never lost his passion for horses or for animals in general. He spent his days of retirement on his gentleman’s farm; haying, mowing, raising goats, a horse, and his own fruits and vegetables. He loved dogs especially, and had many over the years that were his constant companions.
He will be sadly missed by his children and grandchildren, Cheryl (Monty, Chris, Sydney, and Aiden), Larry (Karen, Paige, and Jordyn), Amy (Eric, Charlotte, and Sarah), and Charles (Tyler and Dominic). He was pre-deceased by his wife, Charlotte and his daughter, Lisa (Amanda, Vanessa, and Brandon). His family would like to offer their immense gratitude to his sister, Roberta and her son, Bob Heffernan, as well as his husband, Allen, for all of the visits to Maine and the outpouring of love that they gave to Larry, especially the past few years, when he needed it the most. They would also like to extend their appreciation and gratitude to Pam and Dennis Lufkin for the friendship and care they gave to Larry.
His family is honoring Larry’s final wishes by returning his ashes to Vermont and his farm. Condolences to the family may be expressed at BrookingsSmith.com. ◊
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