Columbus
Dorothy Charlene Sumner, age 100, of Columbus, Indiana, died Wednesday, September 21, 2016, at Green Tree Assisted Living in Columbus.
She was born September 1, 1916, at Greentown, Indiana, to Clarence and Merle (Ross) Smith.
Raised in Indiana during the Depression, Dorothy and her family did what they could to get by, including selling homemade crackerjack, producing landscape paintings and entertaining. The siblings traveled throughout the Midwest in the summer performing at street fairs and other entertainment venues as the Darwood Sisters, a troop of acrobats, contortionists and comic clowns. Dorothy was the contortionist.
She had worked for many years in the fabric section of a department store and as a talented seamstress made most of their clothing. Dorothy was adventurous and loved to travel. She had visited almost every state including state capitals, even spending two months on a EuroRail Pass wandering around Europe.
Living to be 100, she was preceded in death by three husbands, Russell Stephenson, John Klingenberger and Harris Sumner; her parents; and a great-granddaughter, Eva Julianna Clark.
Survivors include daughters, Julianna Mahley of Vienna, Virginia, and Holly (Kirk) Clark of Columbus; a granddaughter, Dr. Diedra D. Clark of Columbus; a grandson, Kyle (Melissa) Clark of Columbus; and great-grandchildren, Jacob Alexander Clark, Elijah Christopher Clark and Jesse Lawson Clark.
Graveside rites will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, September 24, 2016, at Arcadia Cemetery at Arcadia, Indiana.
Hartley Funeral Homes, Cicero, Indiana, is entrusted with the arrangements. You may send condolences at www.hartleyfuneralhomes.com.
