Lee Sumrall

Lee Sumrall was born Jan. 14, 1921, in Buffalo, Texas to his parents Jesse and Sarah (Slatter) Sumrall. He passed this Nov. 11, 2007, at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, Wash.

Lee served in the Navy during WW II in the Pacific on the U.S.S. Bagley from Dec.15, 1941, to Oct. 25, 1945. He was the ship's main cook and he also worked the big guns.

He met and married Lugene Stewart at Ephrata in 1947 and they had their daughter, Joyce, in 1948. The family moved to Houston where Lee worked for Union Carbide for 10 years. While there, their second daughter, Leanna (Gidget), was born in 1952.

In 1957, the family relocated back to Ephrata and Lee opened Lee's Spudnut Shop/Caf/ at the south end of town. In 1964 Lee also purchased the old Twin Caf/ and operated it for many years.

In 1970 Lee married Billie Houghton and they adopted their son Jeffrey from El Mina, Tripoli, Lebanon in 1973. Lee remodeled the old Quincy Auto Parts and thus it became Lee's Landmark Restaurant. He also purchased the historic rock building across from the post office in Ephrata, named it Lee's Landmark II and operated it until his semi-retirement in 2002.

Lee was a member of the Ephrata Senior Center, V F W, 50-plus year member of the Ephrata Masonic Lodge #167 and South Houston Masonic Lodge #1295, Association of the U.S.S. Bagley (DD-386) and supported his community.

Lee's great loves were his family, visiting with his friends at the local coffee house, fishing and woodworking. He loved the fishing in this area, especially the canals. In later years his daughter Joyce or his friend Frank Wright would go fishing with him and he truly enjoyed the time they spent together.

Preceding Lee in death were his parents, in-laws Bill and Marie Houghton, brothers Archie, Otha, Jesse Allen, sister Edith and nephews Jerry, Jesse and first wife Lugene.

Surviving Lee are his wife Billie, son Jeffrey Sumrall and special friend Brianna of Spokane, daughters Joyce (Phil) LoParco of Kennewick and Gidget (Paul) Moreno of Ephrata. Grandchildren are Scott (Renee) LoParco, Lawrence (Rachel) Moreno, Angie (Gary) Gilmour, Christopher (Susan) Moreno, Sarah Moreno, Benjamin Moreno and special friend Becca. Great-grandchildren are Garet, Alyssa, Billy, Kelsie, Jared, Justin, Tyler and Hunter. Surviving brother Bill (Bonnie) Sumrall of Texas and brother in-law Richard (Jessamy) Houghton of Puyallup. Nieces are Jennifer (Danny & Zo‘ Abigail) Ballsmith, Sue Westfall, Debbie Sumrall, Toni Leffler, Nancy Martin and Kathleen Sheehen. Nephews are Robert (Jennifer) Houghton, Bill D. Sumrall and Gene (Dian) Sumrall.

A very special thanks to all of Lee's friends; there are too many to mention. He thought of all of you as family and he loved you very much. The American Legion will conduct memorial Services on Dec. 2 at 1 p.m. at the Ephrata Cemetery, followed by a reception at the American Legion Hall Post 28, 276 8th Ave. N.W., Ephrata at 1:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the charity of your choice.