Viva Sue Sumner

Viva Sue Sumner (née Combs) passed away on July 28, 2022 in Fort Worth, Texas at age 85. She was visited by loved ones in her final weeks and was able to laugh even as she worked to overcome health issues and bore the pain of a broken heart, having lost her husband and the love of her life, Donald Sumner, in April 2021.


Vi was born in Jeff, Kentucky in 1937 to Jessie and Ira D. Combs and was raised in the beauty of the mountains of eastern Kentucky. A survivor of polio as a child, she attended Cumberland College, earning an Associates Degree. She moved to Lexington, Kentucky where she met Don Sumner on a blind date, the start of a lifelong love affair. They married in June 1958 and started a life and family together in St. Louis. They moved often for Don’s work as a field engineer - Charleston, Cocoa Beach, New London and elsewhere - eventually settling in Long Island, New York where they raised their two children, Leslie Meador and Jeffery.


Vi was a devoted, full-time homemaker and in mid-life made a career transition to become an executive assistant after graduating from the Katherine Gibbs School. She made her children proud as the class parent on field trips, Cub Scout den mother and Girl Scout troop leader. Vi was an accomplished cook and baker and always gathered her family for the evening meal. In service of a good meal, she was known to bring her own ingredients when visiting for holidays, having once carried a frozen beef eye of round on the plane to make a Christmas roast.


Vi and Don retired to Keller, Texas, built a home, and established themselves as vital members of the First United Methodist Church of Keller. At the church, Vi was a worship group leader and Sunday School teacher. She enjoyed traveling the world with Don and helping to care for her grandchildren. Known as Grammy to her seven grandchildren, she sang “You are my Sunshine” to all, but loved each one completely and individually.


Vi had a zest for life, was quick to laugh and loved a gathering of friends and family. She was known to dance when hearing a favorite song and would invite Don or the nearest grandchild to join her. One of her favorite activities was gardening. With the aid of a green thumb, she raised beautiful houseplants; her lovely border plantings and patio pots earned her yard the envy of neighbors.


Vi’s family would like to extend a special thank you to the wonderful staff at The Stayton at Museum Way, Fort Worth, Texas and Demetra, private caregiver and companion who provided excellent and loving care for Vi since the Fall of 2019.

A memorial service for Vi will be held on September 23, 2022 at 10:00am at the Dallas - Ft. Worth National Cemetery.