Richard L. Sumerix

Richard L. Sumerix, 76 of Gaylord, passed away at home on Friday, May 29, 2015. Born on August 26, 1938 in Petoskey, Richard was the son of Clare and Margaret (Wood) Sumerix.

He grew up in Wolverine and graduated from Wolverine High School in 1956.
Richard attended Central Michigan University to study education and later graduated from Northeastern College in Bay City with an accounting degree. A skilled athlete, he played basketball in high school and was offered a scholarship to play basketball at Michigan State University.

Richard was dedicated and hard working. He had been manager of the credit bureau in Mt. Pleasant and later worked 16 years as the credit department manager at Old Kent Bank in Gaylord. He also worked for Cadillac Overall Supply, as a mortgage officer at Austin Mortgage Company in their Gaylord office, with his wife, Charlene, at Collect Pro Inc. in Gaylord and as a Gaylord Community Schools bus driver.

Richard was very active in the Gaylord community as a Bagley Township trustee for many years. He was currently serving his second term as a county commissioner on the Otsego County Board of Commissioners. He was also the Otsego County nuisance officer for a number of years. Richard was an active member of the Vanderbilt Lions Club where he started the Kountry Klassic concert in 1996. Later he became a member of the Gaylord Kiwanis Club which continued the annual concert with Richard as its driving force. An avid University of Michigan football fan, he also enjoyed fly fishing, hunting, model building and cutting wood.

On June 25, 1960, Richard married Charlene T. Bostwick, to whom he was married for 55 years. He is survived by Charlene; his daughter, Heather Lyn (Shawn) Sygo of Gaylord; sons, Patrick Sumerix of Gaylord and Shawn Walsh of Johannesburg; grandchildren, Deven, Shalyn, Courtney, Alissa, and Patrick Jr.; a sister, Terrie (Dick) Schroder of Wolverine; brothers Fritz (Wanda) Sumerix and Gary (Ginny) Sumerix both of Wolverine and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and by a son, Troy Walsh on October 12, 2014.

A visitation and gathering of family and friends will be held from 3:00-8:00 P.M. on Thursday, June 4, 2015 at Gaylord Community Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 850 North Center Avenue. Those who wish are asked to consider memorial contributions to the family. Please share your memories and personal messages with the family at www.gaylordfuneralhome.com.