Ernie Sumsion
When my mom needed a vacation from Mark and me, we would spend a week with Aunt Doddie and Uncle Rolland, in their home off of Redwood Road. The best part for us was playing with our cousins, Bob and Earl. They were both older than me, Earl by 2 years. I learned things from them, especially from Earl, that I wouldn’t have figured out on my own. Earl was like an older brother; he helped my mom retain her sanity.
He was fearless; showed me how to control your fall out of a tree and not get hurt: impressive to be sure if you’re in 4th grade. Then there was a motorcycle he could ride on one wheel down dad’s driveway, which I understand was a short-lived ownership. Aunt Doddie saw to that. Earl had this wonderful combination of an adventurous streak infused with a kind heart. All cousins should be so lucky to have one like Earl. With time, he even developed a large degree of patience, but he worked at it. I’ll miss his wonderful sense of humor and a library of fun, shared memories. Ernie Sumsion
