I've been feeling this emptiness for sometime. I don't wanna be alone no more. Only God knows why. Its killing me inside, Baby I miss u. So every night before I go to sleep, I pray that the lord would one day somehow heal me from this pain. I love you handsome. 

Good memories…  Go Niners! 
I love you handsome

Wishing You Were Here. I miss you more than words can say. Happy New Year's Eve. I love you handsome. 

You went out your way to surprise me with this amazing tree. Our first tree together. Merry Christmas Eve. I love you Handsome. 

Lourdes, 
Thank you for sharing these wonderful loving photos of you and Brian. It is so nice to see how happy you two were together. I am so sorry for your loss and for the Sumrell family. 
Brian was a very nice young man. I had known him for years. 
Leta Hering

You may be gone from my sight but you are never gone from my heart. I love you handsome. 

Brian,  you were always there, Friday after work, camping, concerts, holidays, bar nights, road trips (getting us kicked out of the hotel in Huntington Beach); memories are all there. You will be missed by all! I know you’ll STILL be there for your loved ones you left behind. 
Rest Easy 🕊

You’ll Be in My Heart. I Love you Handsome….  


When SGT Sumrell  and I met, he was a Private and I was assigned as his Team Leader in 1st Platoon. We deployed together to both to Afghanistan and Kuwait  where I quickly realized his profound love for lifting weights. He would always say “SGT Burton, if you need me you already know where I’ll be!” and sure enough he was always there in the gym when I needed to communicate information to him. I’ve had the pleasure to watch Brian mature from a phase in his military career in which EVERYTHING was stupid (which is not abnormal for the average new soldier in the Army), although many times I think he was just trademarking the comment lol to becoming a leader in the Army when he promoted to SGT. As his Platoon Sergeant, I could always count on Sumrell to get the job done and help out where it was needed, but not without voicing his opinion, he was going to be heard. He quickly learned what HE sounded like as a young private when he was assigned soldiers, and that was something we would always laugh about together. 

It is with great remorse to hear that he has moved on. I pray that God watch over and provide peace to the hearts of all those who are mournings his absence. SGT Sumrell was a great Soldier and will truly be missed by many. 

After two great deployments with SGT Sumrell, one to Afghanistan and the last to Kuwait, nothing but great memories. SGT Sumrell  always got us with his laugh, one no one can imitate. You will always be in our hearts and minds brother.
1SG Perez, Angel

We shared the same platoon, even in two different tours OEF 2012-2013 and Kuwait 2017-2018. So many missions ran together, and memories that we continue to share through the 7 Deuce. Sumrell, you will be missed brother. My condolences to his family.

Can't tell you how much I'm going to miss you. But I know we will meet again. 

Oh man..... Where to begin is beyond me. I met Brian in 1997 I was in 7th grade. We both love to BMX rather it be racing ,dirt jumping, it was on. As Brian was a grade above me I also knew his close brother Kyle, (same grade) lol. Anyway at that time Kyle was never able to ride with us because he was always in trouble 🤣🤣 not too much but had to throw it out there. Lol I love you Kyle. While there are so many stories I can sit here and tell about Brian and how he and his family became mine as well. I just want to say I love you brother and I love you to my second family the Sumrell's. This is not a goodbye but I'll see you later. Your passion for family,friends and country will always be with me. Until we meet again rest easy my brother. Always with me never forgotten 🇺🇸

I first met Brian through his brother Kyle, in 1999. I was over at their house and Brian was cleaning his dirt bike. Kyle called Brian’s bike “gay” and Brian punched him in the mouth, cutting Kyle’s lip on his braces. So of course, Kyle spit the blood out on Brian’s clean bike. Some fighting occurred after, but their brotherly relationship was never broken. They could always have a fight and immediately have each others back. Needless to say I wasn’t exactly a fan of Brian’s right out of the gate, but once we all started hanging out, on an almost daily basis, it was easy to see what a good person Brian was. He would do anything for family and friends. Over the next 22 years we became closer and closer by going on journeys, barbecuing, bonfires, shooting guns and countless other fun times. He was always there if I needed anything and always knew how to make us all laugh. I am truly blessed to call him my brother. We may not fully remember all of the times we were together, but everything that I do remember will always be cherished. Love you, Brian 

As his Platoon leader from 2017-2020 I could always count on SGT Sumrell and SPC Harness to complete what I asked them to. I could also count on SGT Sumrell to let me know when he thought what we were doing and what I asked him to do was stupid. Most would get extremely irritated with him because of his attitude but I never did. Probably because I agreed that whatever I asked him to do was stupid too. Overseas, it was free game to talk trash in the gym. I’d call him fat, he’d call me small, I’d tell Sumrell and Harness to come out of the closet , he’d say the same about me and Corpuz and I would follow with, “4 some, what’s-up?!”. There were times when he would get on my nerves so I would pair him up with someone he disliked for a long haul mission to Arifjan (very long days). I am heart broken to hear Brian Sumrell has passed. He is the second Soldier from 1st Platoon who has tragically passed. I always envisioned coming back to the 1072nd TC and seeing Brian Sumrell, Jacob Haumea, and my other guys move from the junior ranks to SGT to Platoon Sergeant and the 1SG level and we continue to talk trash to one another. I hope 1072nd TC continues to maintain that family tradition. It is also our duty as his brothers and sisters in arms to maintain his memory and to support his family during this tragic time.  My condolences to his family and friends. 

OBITUARY

Brian Clay Sumrell

October 20, 1983 – November 7, 2021

Boice Funeral Home

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