Retha Evelyn Cox Sumler, 83, of Tifton died Wednesday, March 17, 2010, at Tift Regional Medical Center. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 20, 2010 at New River Baptist Church. Rev. Larry Layfield will officiate with burial to follow in Oak Ridge Cemetery. Her nephews, David Hobbs, Ed “Jr.” Hobbs, Wayne Evans, Tim Walker, Steve Huey, Butch Coleman, Todd Sumler, Bruce Sumler, Chip Sumler and Donald Shell will serve as pallbearers. The family will receive friends on Friday, March 19, 2010, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals. The family will meet at the home of Darlene and Howard Burrous, 145 S. Church Street in Ty Ty.
Mrs. Sumler was born on January 10, 1927 in Jacksonville, Florida and was the daughter of Charlie E. Cox and Maggie Lee Cox, both deceased. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Albert Tillman Sumler; two brothers; and three sisters. She was a retired bookkeeper and a member of New River Baptist Church. She was also a member of the Eastern Star and had lived in Tift County for 60 years.
Mrs. Sumler is survived by three sons and daughters-in-law, Albert Boyd and Wanda Sumler of Omega, Ivey and Sue Sumler of LaGrange and Kenneth Tobie and Clarice Sumler of Tifton; two daughters and sons-in-law, Iris and Gene Scoggins of Haines City, Florida and Sally Darlene and Howard Burrous of Ty Ty; one sister, Ida Pearl Bennett of Cordele; eleven grandchildren; and 20 great grandchildren.