Joel Thomas Sumner passed away Monday, June 2, 2003, after suffering for several months with cancer.

Joel was born on Jan. 30, 1953, in Pipestone, Minn., and spent most of his youth in the Albert Lea area. From a very young age, Joel expressed an interest in music, and began piano lessons at the age of 6. By the age of 12, he was playing the organ at Sunday services for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Having grown up in the early era of garage bands, Joel put together several groups and played for local events. He taught himself to play the guitar and the bass guitar, and actually composed his own music. Joel graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1971.

In 1977, Joel married Cindy K. Flatness and began attending college classes to become an electrician. He served his apprenticeship in Utah where the first of his children, Steven Ross, was born. After completing his training, the family moved to the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and added two more sons, Brian James and Jason Nathaniel. In 1983, Joel and his family returned to the Albert Lea area, and suffered tragedy as a fourth child, Christy LaDawn, was stillborn.

Joel and Cindy later separated and eventually divorced, at which time Joel relocated to Utah, where he lived until 2000. During this time, he continued to pursue his music avocation, and married Annette Alteireia. They were married for ten years.

Joel returned to Albert Lea late in 2000 and finalized his divorce from Annette, hoping to start a new life for himself. While attending church in the Latter-day Saint congregation here in Albert Lea, he met the love of his life, Della Luann Roberts and they were married on Jan. 26, 2002. Joel’s final years were filled with love and happiness as he and Luann cherished and served one another. He also found fulfillment as the organist for the church.

Joel was preceded in death by his mother, Eleonore Lemoine Sumner; and his brothers: Glenn Arthur and Raymond Anthony Sumner.

He is survived by his wife, Luann Sumner; sons: Steven Ross, Brian James and Jason Nathaniel Sumner of Albert Lea; step-children: Thomas Focken of Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Dale Focken, Amy Roberts and Ricky Roberts, all from Albert Lea. He also leaves behind his father, Claude I. Sumner and wife Norine Sumner of Riverview, Fla.; sister-in-law, Lynette Sumner of Roy, Utah; brothers: Wayne Allen Sumner and John Charles Sumner of Ogden, Utah; sisters: Claudia (Edward) Gimbel of Decatur, Ind., and Kathryn (Paul) Furan of Anthony, Kan.; and brothers: David Lee Sumner of Aurora, Colo., and Benet Ross (Della) Sumner of Maple Shade, N.J.

Joel was a loving and very humble man who was kind to everyone with whom he came in contact. He was an extremely gifted musician, much beloved by his family and many friends, and the world is diminished by his passing.

Visitation will be at Bonnerup Funeral Service on Friday, June 6, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The funeral will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located at the corner of Sundance Lane and Highway 13, on Saturday, June 7, with additional visitation from 9-9:45 a.m. and services beginning at 10 a.m.