Doris Nadeane Sumner Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Doris was born on March 19, 1921, to John and Cecil von Lindern, the second of six children, in a one room homestead shack near Flatwillow, Montana. Life was not easy and responsibilities cam early to her young world on that barren treeless prairie. It was during those years in Flatwillow that she discovered her great love of music, that would be a big part of her entire life. In 1931, the family moved to a farm near Buhl, Idaho. It was decided that if she moved closer to town, she could attend school. A family her mother knew, by the name of Sumner, agreed to take her in in exchange for some light housekeeping and cooking. These were the depression years and life wasn’t easy. The Sumner’s had a son, John, slightly older than Doris and they fell in love and were married in 1937. John was employed in the family business of sand and gravel. With this, the family travelled to different jobs. In 1939, their first child, Donna Jeanne was born. In 1947, Doris gave birth to their son, Ronald Dean. The family was in Twin Falls, Idaho by now and remained until 1955, when they moved to Moses Lake. With the completion of Grand Coulee Dam, there were many opportunities that John could see with his background in construction. Besides guiding their children through the trials and tribulations of school to adulthood, Doris continued with her dedication of being John’s right-hand man and bookkeeper for his various businesses. It was during this time that Doris’ desire to share manifested itself through her love for music and her God given musical talent. Moses Lake seemed to have several churches with organs, but not always an organist. Through most of her remaining years, Doris was able to bring those various congregations the joy and peace of her beautiful hymns. Beside churches, Doris shared her music for services at mortuaries when families couldn’t afford the extras. It was not only people who were blesses by Doris, but many other creatures, dogs, chickens, anything that needed a little extra love, could fill this love in Doris’ open arms. In her later years, if you dropped by her house, you would find her with an adopted dog curled up in her lap. All creatures, big or small, found peace not only in her music, but just her presence. Doris was preceded in death by her parents, husband John, son Ron Sumner, son-in-law Larry Van Keulen, her brothers Boyd and Warren von Lindern, sister Ruth Martins and granddaughter Cheryl Sherwood. She is survived by her sisters, Lois Morgan and Mona DePartee, daughter Donna Van Keulen, Daughter-in-law, Pam Sumner. Her grandsons; Scott Sherwood, Wade (Liz) Sumner, John (Janet) Van Keulen. Granddaughters; Tami (Tom) Davenport, Tressa (Duncan) Stanton, Brandi (Troy) Swanson, Melinda Meyer and Lori Allen as well as numerous great and great-great grandchildren.

Doris Nadeane Sumner

March 19, 1921 - February 17, 2020

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