Lt. Col. Joan A. Sumner, U.S.A.F.

Lt. Col. Joan A. Sumner, U.S.A.F. (Retired) was born in Poultney, VT., on April 28, 1931 and passed away on January 30, 2009 in Biloxi, Miss. Trained as a surgical nurse at Mass General, with a Masters in Nursing from University of Pennsylvania, she was a 21-year career member of the Air Force with over 4,000 logged hours of MediVac flight time during the Vietnam conflict. She also served two tours as Director of Nursing and Instructor at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Colonel Sumner was active in the Retired Air Force Nurses Association and in the successful effort to develop the Vietnam Women’s Memorial in Washington.

She was the daughter of Dr. John Sumner and Vivian Sumner. She is survived by her brother, John, of Bradenton, Fla.

At her request, there will be no services. Family prefers donations be made in her memory to: WRANPS, P.O. Box 209, Long Beach, MS 39560 or other wildlife rescue organizations.

Arrangements made by Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Homes, Howard Ave., Biloxi, MS.