Sumner died July 11, 2011, at Bar Harbor (Maine) Hospital of prostate cancer.
The son and grandson of Princetonians, he was born in Bryn Mawr, Pa., and came to Princeton from Proctor Academy in New Hampshire. At Princeton he majored in art, played varsity hockey, ate at Ivy, and roomed senior year with Lance Odden, Kit Pool, Nick Carper, Rick Rand, and Denny Wright ’62.
In 1962, Sumner founded Rulon Miller Inc. in New York City, and his insurance advertisements over many decades in PAW became a familiar sight. Never fully retired, he lived in recent years mainly in Mount Desert, Maine, where he was recently elected a selectman. Over the years Sumner served Proctor Academy in many roles, including chairing the board of trustees for several terms. His many other boards included the American School of Tangier, the Princeton Club of New York, and the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. A member of the New York Racquet & Tennis Club, he was a sportsman outside of the boardroom, running 13 marathons, playing racquet sports, skiing, kayaking, and exploring the outdoors.
Sumner is survived by his daughter, Tanya Schlemmer; two grandchildren; his brothers, Patrick and Harry ’58; and three stepchildren.