Sumner Wilder Patch

Sumner Wilder Patch, 85, of Austin, Texas passed away peacefully on June 4th 2022, holding hands with family. Born and raised by loving parents Jack and Alice Patch, Sumner spent his youth surrounded by family in Glen Allen, Virginia. Younger twin sisters, favorite aunts and uncles, adventurous cousins were his first and best friends. His love of reading began early and continued throughout his life. Sumner graduated from Hermitage High in 1954 and continued his education, earning a Bachelor of Science from VPI, a Masters of Science at the University of Florida and a pHD equivalent through continued education during his teaching career. It was during these years that he met his future wife of 56 years, Frances Bruce. Sumner and Frances were married in 1964 and after a few years in the Richmond area, made their way to Takoma Park, Maryland, where they spent the next 40 years. In that time, Sumner worked on his master of Education at the University of Maryland and began a decades long career as a physical sciences teacher in the Montgomery County school system. In the 1970’s Sumner helped organize a student exchange program to Scotland that went on for years and even after retirement he and Frances went back to visit time after time keeping up with old friends. A born adventurer, Sumner took Frances and their two girls on countless road trips in the summer; Chicago by way of Albuquerque, classes at Yellowstone, the Sandpiper in Nags Head, Towanda Pennsylvania, St.Paul Minnesota, every inch of Virginia, for the sights, sounds and food but mostly the joy of visiting friends and family along the way. Sumner never found a meal out that wasn’t “the best”, a vehicle with an engine that wasn’t enthralling, a proprietor of a bar, coffee or pawn shop he wouldn’t check in with and never didn’t make a friend. A devout christian, he spent years studying scripture at Hunton Baptist Church, First Baptist Church of Silver Spring and St. James Episcopal of Austin. He embraced the fellowship of each of these communities forging life-long friendships. Sumner was preceded in death by his wife Frances Bruce Patch and parents Mary Alice Winston and Ralph Lee Patch. He is survived by daughters Corinne Alice Jones (John), Kistie Barbara Brunsell (Nate), grandchildren Ethan, Tara, Wyatt and Warren, sisters Kistie Velma Patch and Ethel Lee Patch and many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life will be held at St. James Episcopal of Austin at 1pm on July 16th.

A memorial for both Sumner and Frances will be held at Hunton Baptist

Church in Hunton Virginia at 11am August 6th with graveside service to

follow at Winns Baptist Church cemetery, Glen Allen, Virgina.