Donald Deford Sumners

On November 24, 2025 Donald DeFord Sumners passed away at the age of 86. Don was born on August 16,1939 in Houston,Texas to Robert Williams Sumners and Martha Rollo Burnette Sumners, the eldest of their four children. Growing up in the Houston area, he graduated Bellaire High school in 1957.

Don attended the University of Texas in Austin and graduated with a bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting, becoming a CPA in 1964. Throughout his career, Don owned and operated several small businesses and held a variety of significant financial leadership roles. His experience included serving as a tax manager and assistant to the CFO of an insurance firm, financial controller for a small defense contractor, and spending fifteen years in public accounting.

Don achieved notable milestones in public service. He was elected Harris County Treasurer, serving from 1995 to 1998, and later served as Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector from late 2010 through 2012. He also served as an elected Trustee of the Harris County Department of Education, reflecting his long-standing commitment to fiscal responsibility and civic duty. Don was actively involved in Republican politics and wrote numerous articles for the Houston Chronicle, serving as a financial watchdog. His public slogan was -A tea partier ‘before it was cool’.

Don’s passions included a love of classic cars, gardening, and do it yourself home construction projects. He owned several classic cars throughout his life with a special love of thunderbirds. In his later years, he could be found most weekends working in the yard or working on a home building project. Don enjoyed reminiscing with Rita on all things 50s-cars, music, classic movies and simpler times. Don is loved and will be remembered fondly by his wife, family and friends. He lived a long purpose-filled life and his legacy lives on through his family and the community he served.

He is survived by his loving wife Rita Suzanne Steininger Sumners; children Donna Sue Rogers, Diane DeFord Sanders, Debora Sumners Heathcott and their mother Carolyn Guess Murphy; siblings Martha Roberta Kellogg, Mary Rebecca Anthony, Robert Williams Sumners Jr.; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.