Winifred "Wynne" Sumner, 93, of Bradenton, FL, died Tuesday, October 22, 2024, at Westminster Point Pleasant.
Born in Plainfield, NJ in June 1931 to Hilton Anderson and Helen Mills Anderson, she lived most of her life in New Jersey before relocating with her husband, Harry, to Holmes Beach on Anna Maria Island, in 1987.
Wynne was a 1949 Graduate of North Plainfield High School, NJ, and a 1951 graduate of Business College in East Orange, NJ. After her schooling, she worked briefly for Bell Laboratories in Murray Hill, NJ.
She wed, Henry "Harry" Ellis Sumner, in April 1953, at Church of The Holy Cross in North Plainfield, NJ. They were married for nearly 63 years until his passing in 2016.
Wynne, a loving and devoted mother, raised her four children, Harry, Richard, Ellen and Bart, in Scotch Plains, NJ, never missing an opportunity to instill a strong sense of family, community, and security to each of them, while also passing on her cooking acumen and zest for life.
While a "stay-at-home" mom, she served as President of the Plainfield, NJ Women's Club for 4 years, where she enjoyed transporting babies, that were in the process of being adopted, to appointments and their new homes.
She returned to employment in the early 1970's. After a short time, Wynne went to work for Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, eventually serving as the Executive Assistant to the head of the Waksman Institute of Microbiology until the mid 1980's. She was a member of The Church of The Holy Cross Episcopal Church in North Plainfield, NJ, for more than 30 years.
During her years in the Florida sun, she enjoyed walking the beaches of Anna Maria Island with her husband and watching the beautiful sunsets over the Gulf, while keeping tabs on the growing family tree of grandchildren and great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Harry, and grandson, David. She is survived by her children Henry Anderson Sumner and his wife Kathleen of Doylestown, PA, Dr. Richard Ellis Sumner and his wife Sandra of St. Petersburg, FL, Ellen Sumner Sandels(late Björn Sandels), of Bradenton, FL, and John Barton Sumner and his wife Leslie of Fort Collins, CO. She is also survived by 8 grandchildren: Richard, Katie, Carolyn, Beth, Edward, Meg, Arthur, and Abigail, and 7 great grandchildren.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a ceremony at Sarasota National Cemetery, November 4, 2024, at 1:00PM, prior to internment.
Brown & Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory 43rd Street Chapel, 604 43rd Street West, Bradenton, FL 34209, is in charge of arrangements.
