November 12, 2005

Chaplain Rev. Dr. Gregory Edward Reynolds

Donald M. Sumner went to be with his Lord on September 27, 2005 at the age of 73.

He was born on Oct. 21, 1931, in Newport, the son of Reginald Flint Sumner and Marion (Drew) Sumner. He attended Towle High School in Newport and the University of New Hampshire.

Since 1954 he had resided in Durham, where he was active in the community as a selectmen, on the budget committee, the town council, the economic development committee, and the Durham Housing Association.

Mr. Sumner was a registered architect, specializing in the design of educational, correctional and nursing home facilities in northern New England. He owned and operated I.W. Hersey Associates and was a partner in the firm of Sumner-Davis Architects, Inc., Portsmouth until his death. He served on the N.H. Board of Registration of Architects and on the N.H. Historic Preservation Review Board as chairman.

He was a member of various societies, including the Durham-Great Bay Rotary Club, the Durham Historic Association, the N.H. Society of the Order of Founders and Patriots of America; the N.H. Society of Colonial Wars; the Mayflower Society of N.H.; and the Huguenot Society of N.H.

Most important to us was Don’s faithful and enthusiastic leadership in promoting colonial and revolutionary war history, especially through historical re-enactment. Since 1971 he had been a member of the 1st Newmarket Colonial Militia Co. and was a long-time participant as one of the presenters of colonial history in area elementary schools. He was active in organizing the 1977 re-enactment of Stark's March to Bennington and the Rochambeau/Washington March to Yorktown in 1781.

Don was a member since 1986 and past president of New Hampshire Society Sons of the American Revolution. He was instrumental in initiating our involvement in historical re-enactment.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Margaret Strong Sumner of Durham; three children; eight grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and a sister, Phyllis.

Most important of all Don was faithful member of Durham Evangelical Church. He came to experience the words of Psalm 144:4 “Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.”

Don’s pastor the Rev. Terry Starbaugh told me that Don was a member of the church for the twenty years he has been pastor. As pastor he watched Don’s faith grow. He noted that Don was a very different person in the last ten years of his life. God had taken center stage in place of politics and history. He loved to study the Bible believing that “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Romans 15:4) The Lord Jesus Christ became his first love. Don took the words of the apostle Peter to heart: “And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” (1 Peter 1:17-21) As much as Don loved his country he realized that because his ultimate loyalty was to the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ so his true and everlasting home was in heaven. Like Abraham “…he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. …These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.” (Hebrews 11:10, 13-16)

In his last months he was a bold witness to all of those around him, from medical staff to family, that Jesus Christ was his hope in life and death.

We shall all miss Don Sumner. May the God of all comfort bring consolation to his family, compatriots and friends.