Lillian Rose Sumabat

On Sunday, June 9, 2019, Lillian Rose Sumabat (Lillian Rosa Ortiz Sumabat) changed her address to reside in the arms of her Savior, Jesus Christ, until He returns and a mansion in glory will be her new home.

Lillian was born in Holman, New Mexico on February 3, 1928, to Candido Ortiz and Lucretia Cruz Ortiz. She was the youngest of seven: Priscilla (Jack) Moran Binford, Carlos (Grace) Ortiz, Lucille (Filbert) Gallegos, Pete (Jose) Ortiz, Andy (Carmen) Ortiz, and Gilbert (Helen) Ortiz. Her parents, all her siblings, their spouses, and her husband of 66 years, Alfred P. Sumabat Sr. preceded her in death.

She met Alfred Sumabat (originally from Alcala, Cagayan, Philippines) at the Filipino Christian Church in Los Angeles. Alfred had served in the Army during WWII and later served in the Korean War and Viet Nam War. After they married November 28, 1948, their son, Al Sumabat, was born in Los Angeles in 1950. Lillian enjoyed the world-traveling adventures of an Army wife; everywhere she lived, she collected dolls, memories, and friends. They were stationed in Fort Meyer, VA; Fort Mammoth, NJ; Fort Gordon, GA; the Yuma Test Station (now called the Yuma Proving Ground) AZ; the Hardy Barracks, Tokyo Japan (where their daughter, Anna Lee, was born in 1954); Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany; Frankfurt, Germany; back to Yuma, AZ; Fort Hood, TX; and Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. In Hawaii, Lillian served God faithfully with Child Evangelism and Good News Clubs. Lillian and Alfred were active members of the Waipahu Free Will Baptist Church (a touch of heaven on earth where the bonds of Christian love and spiritual growth made all who lived there and attended the church ohana [family]).

Lillian and Alfred retired in Hawaii but in 1978 moved to Garner, NC to work in the church there with their former pastor from Hawaii. In 1991, they made their final move to Taylors, SC to live next door to their daughter. They devotedly attended and were active in the First Free Will Baptist Church off of Old Grove Road in Greenville. They were loved and cared for by this large-hearted congregation and their faithful pastor, Rev. Alan Longino, as they aged and later as they faced death.

Lillian is survived by her son, Al Sumabat of Dickson, TN, and her daughter, Anna (Tom) Turner of Taylors, SC. She was greatly loved by her five grandchildren: “the TN bunch” Tracy Morford Howard, Lance Sumabat, and Leandra (Aaron) Parker; and “the born-in-SC bunch” Ashley (Ken) Vollnogle, and Brittany (Andrew) Tripp. Lillian also leaves eight great-grandchildren: Chris Morford, Kalina Vollnogle, Kolton Vollnogle, Kade Vollnogle, Kameron Vollnogle, MacKenzie Tripp, Alexis Tripp, and Avery Tripp.

Services will be held in the chapel of Mackey at Woodlawn, 1 Pine Knoll Road, Greenville, SC 29609 on Saturday, June 15, 2019 with visitation at 1 p.m., a celebration service of Lillian’s life at 2 p.m., and the graveside interment following.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the First Free Will Baptist Church, 242 N. Old Grove Road, Greenville, SC 29605.