COLUMBUS, NC - Robert Lee Sumlin was born in Baltimore, Maryland on July 2, 1924, one of five children of the late George and Myrtle McConville Sumlin. His wife of 68 years, Dorothy H. Sumlin, preceded him in death on June 24, 2013.He is survived by his two daughters, Mary R. Sumlin and Sharon L. Beck (Ronald); four grandchildren, Mary M. Butterworth, Rachel A. Butterworth-Tice (Matthew), Jeri Lynn Hale and Bobbi Jo Warns; four great-grandchildren, Gregory D. Tice, Gabriel R. Tice, Victoria H. Warns and Nicole E. Lawrence; and one great-great-grandchild, Bailey L. Lawrence.In 1941, at the age of 16 years 9 months he enlisted into The Army of the United States in Fort Slocum, NY. In 1942 he joined the 16th Calvary Division and trained at Fort Oglethorpe, GA. He later volunteered to become a paratrooper with the 13th Airborne Division, 515th Parachute Infantry Division, was trained for combat and sent to France to participate in the European Theater of Operations. The war ended shortly thereafter and he returned to the U.S. and was honorably discharged in 1945 at Fort Mead, MD.The majority of his working life was spent as a mechanic for Green Spring Dairy in Baltimore, MD. He and his wife bought a 130 acre farm in Bentley Springs, MD that had been seized by the ATF for unlawful manufacture of moonshine. They cleaned up the still and settled in to grow their own food, raise cattle, horses, chickens, dogs, crops and two daughters. They liked to trail ride and enjoyed watching their daughters compete in horse shows. After retiring, they sold the farm and moved to the eastern shore of Maryland where they loved to camp, fish, crab and be close to the water. After a few years, they moved back to Hagerstown, MD to be closer to family and resided there for 30 years. When his wife passed away in 2013, he made his home with his daughter in Columbus, NC.Robert was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather, uncle and friend with a kind soul and a bit of mischief in his spirit to the very end.A memorial service will be held Wednesday, April 8th at 11:00am in McFarland Funeral Chapel, Tryon, NC with Rev. Phillip M. Hurst officiating. Family will receive those wanting to share their condolences at the funeral home from 10:00am until time of the service.An online guest register is available at www.mcfarlandfuneralchapel.com
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