Beck Funeral Home
Robert Lemuel ("Lem") Sumner, 82, of Buford, Georgia, passed away peacefully in his home on October 26, 2022, in the company of his loving family, after a long and heroic battle with cancer and Parkinson's disease.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Gayle Miller Sumner, originally from Atlanta, Georgia, two daughters, Susan Denise Sumner of Greensboro, North Carolina, and Donna Kaye Sumner Price (Jason) of Newborn, Georgia, one granddaughter, Ashley Brown Barnes (John), a great grandson, John Shepherd Barnes, and many nephews and nieces.
Lem was born July 28, 1940 in McAlpin (Suwannee County) Florida, the son of the late Walter M. and Illa Mae Parker Sumner. He graduated in 1957 from Suwannee High School, in Live Oak, Florida. After attending Aurora College in Aurora, Illinois for two years, he transferred to Berry College in Rome, Georgia, where he met his future wife Gayle and graduated in 1963 with a degree in Industrial Education. He later went on to earn his Master of Education and specialist degrees from the University of Georgia.
Lem spent two years in the Army at Fort Benning, Georgia. After his discharge, he taught Industrial Arts for three years at Southwest DeKalb High School in Decatur, Georgia, and for seven years at Columbia High School in Decatur. He then worked for 25 years in the Rockdale County school system, teaching Industrial Arts at Main Street Middle School and Heritage High School and then spending the last 19 years of his professional career as Registrar at Rockdale County High School.
He retired in 1999 and spent the next four years building their retirement home in Rabun County (Dillard) Georgia. They sold that home in 2019 and downsized to their condo in Buford, Georgia.
His favorite activities were architectural drafting, woodworking, photography and travel. He designed and built two homes while managing to travel extensively to 49 states and over 70 foreign countries. He also enjoyed building houses for Habitat for Humanity. In all of his years of joyful living and adventurous travel, he never met a stranger.
The family will receive guests on November 12 from 11.00 am until 12:00 pm at Clayton Baptist Church in Clayton, Georgia. A celebration of life service will follow at 12:00 pm, with Reverend Joey Thompson and Reverend Bruce Morgan officiating. Lunch will follow the service, graciously provided by the church and the Agape Sunday School Class. There will be a private interment ceremony at a later date at Westview Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Clayton Baptist Church, Berry College or the Parkinson's Foundation.
The family wishes to thank the hospice and caregiver teams from Northeast Georgia Medical Center and Visiting Angels for their excellent care and compassion during his illness.
Beck Funeral Home, in Clayton, Georgia, is in charge of the arrangements. If there are any questions, please call 706-782-9599. An online Memorial Register Book is available at www.beckfuneralhome.com.
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