Marcella (Fousek) Sumner

Marcella Sumner, of Boyd, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, March 5, 2017 at Johnson Memorial Home at the age of 90.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, March 10, 2017 at 1:30 PM at First Presbyterian Church in Dawson.  Pastor Herbert Rotunda will officiate and interment will be at the Dawson Cemetery.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, March 9 from 5-7:00 PM at the Hanson & Dahl Funeral Home in Dawson, MN with a prayer service at 7:00 PM.  There will also be visitation at the church for one hour before the funeral.

Marcella (Fousek) Sumner was born in Juanita, North Dakota to Rudolph and Ida (Lynne) Fousek on June 18, 1926. Marcella was the oldest of eight children.  Shortly after she was born the family moved from North Dakota to Clarkfield.   She attended country school District 77 until moving to Boyd Elementary School.   She graduated from Boyd High School in 1944.  After high school Marcella moved to Shakopee and worked at Muddcura Sanitorium.  Marcella moved back to Boyd to work at Eckhardt’s Grocery Store.   She married Harold Sumner on November 2, 1947 at Trinity Lutheran Church of Boyd by Rev. Martin Lien.  They had five children together.  Besides raising a family and helping on the farm Marcella worked at the hospital and nursing home in the kitchen as a cook for over 15 years.

Marcella was a member of First Presbyterian Church serving faithfully as a Sunday School teacher as well as holding many offices in the United Presbyterian Women’s Group.  She was a life member of the VFW Auxiliary serving in a variety of offices.  She was President of Post 5247 Auxiliary and 5th District President, Vice President, Secretary and other chairman positions.

Family and friends will remember Marcella for her vegetable and flower gardens.  Her flowers were enjoyed by many people in the community.  She would make jams and can her fruits and vegetables for winter enjoyment.  Marcella was also known for her quilting.  She gave each of her children quilts for wedding gifts, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren baby quilts and handmade doll quilts.  Weaving rugs was also a hobby that she shared with husband, Harold.  With a loom handed down from her mother she and Harold wove countless rugs and then traveled to display and sell the handmade rugs at area craft fairs.   Marcella was also an avid fisherman.  Early in her childhood she would catch fish even if those around her were not.  She enjoyed the time that she could be at their “little” lake place and she could fish as much as she wanted.

Marcella is survived by her husband, Harold; her children: Linda (Douglas) Dahl of Eagan, Barbara (Stephen) Turner of Bloomington, Arlene (Sidney) Johnson of Madison, Timothy (Ruth) Sumner of Little Falls, and Joyce Donley (fiancé Randy Phelps) of Erie, CO; 18 grandchildren; 37 great-grandchildren, sisters: Claire Ashling of Dawson, Ina Olson of Dawson, Gloria Saue of Montevideo, and Judith (Stan) Antolick of Benson; as well as other extended family and friends.

She is preceded in death by her parents: Rudolph and Ida Fousek; sisters: Dorothy Lee and Doris Ashling; and brother Robert Fousek.

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