C. Sumner Sumner Libby

Yarmouth - Charles Sumner Libby, 96 and a resident of Yarmouth, Maine for over seventy years, and more recently in residence at the Osher Inn Assisted Living Center (Cedars) in Portland, Maine, died of complications from pneumonia on Friday, February 27, 2015.

C. Sumner Libby or Sumner as he was known by family and friends was predeceased in 1999 by his wife of 59 years, Beverly Beatrice Libby and by his great granddaughter Caroline Libby Kane. Sumner is survived by his daughters, Sharon Libby Sharp and her husband Ted of Cumberland Foreside, Sheila Libby Alexander and her husband, Bill of Cape Elizabeth; four grandchildren, Hannah Kane and her husband Jim and children Madison, Caitlin, and Patrick; Todd Sharp and his fiancée, Chelsie Vega, and son Jacob; Patrick Sharp and Rebecca Wetzel, and grandson Adrian Alexander.

Sumner, one of ten children of Stephen W. and Marcia Megquier Libby, was born and raised in Pownal, Maine. He was predeceased siblings: Mildred M. Libby, Blanche A. Joy, Ernest S. Libby, Aileen I. Lewis, Carl A. Libby, Louville L. Libby and Kenneth J. Libby. He is survived by two of his sisters, Shirley Cass of Newhall, California and Dorothy Wallace Kilpatrick of Brunswick, Maine. He also considered Karola Brackenbury, now of Hastings, New Zealand, as a daughter. Karola was an AFS student from New Zealand who lived with the Libby family for a year while attending Yarmouth High School. Karola and her family have been part of the extended Libby family ever since.

Sumner was a member of the Class of 1936 at North Yarmouth Academy (NYA). Raised on a farm during the Great Depression, Sumner would value family, hard work, and helping others. These attributes defined his life. He served on Yarmouth Rescue for many years, was a member of the Yarmouth Men’s Club, an active Shriner for over fifty years, a 32nd degree Mason, and a dedicated and active member of the First Parish Church in Yarmouth. Even in his early nineties, Sumner would be working twelve hour days in service to his church during the annual Clam Festival. Sumner was a life member of the John Libby Family Association.

Sumner retired from Central Maine Power in 1984 and enjoyed playing golf with his friends, working in his verdant vegetable garden, applying his considerable skills as a carpenter to build things for his family, friends, and his church, and enjoying time with his family, especially at the “Libby Camp,” the cottage that he and Beverly built on the shores of Sebago Lake. He and his family enjoyed trips to California to visit with relatives.

In his later years Sumner enjoyed his visits with his friend Betty Pierce and her family in Arizona and hosting her during the summer months in Maine.

There were no pretensions about Sumner rather; there was among us a genuine and loving man, one who will be greatly missed by all who have had the privilege to know and to love him. Sumner Libby was a humble, unassuming man yet was an exemplar among men. Sumner’s good deeds were his statement about the way one should live one’s life!

Visiting hours will be from 5 - 7 pm Friday, March 6, 2014 at Lindquist Funeral Home, One Mayberry Lane, Yarmouth. A funeral service will be held at 1:00 pm Saturday at First Parish Congregational Church, 116 Main Street, Yarmouth with a reception following in the church hall. Private burial will be in the spring in Elmwood Cemetery, Pownal. Please visit www.lindquistfuneralhome.com to view a video collage of Sumner’s life and to share condolences, memories and tributes with his family.

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to the Jimmy Fund in memory of Sumner to support cancer research and patient care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284 or to Skyline Farm Carriage Museum in North Yarmouth for the preservation of the Libby Sleigh at: Skyline Farm, PO Box 144, Yarmouth ME 04096.