Mr. Charles Ray Sumrall Sr.

Charles Ray Sumrall, Sr., passed away Sunday, June 02, 2013 at Crossgates River Oaks Medical Center in Brandon. Visitation is Monday 5-8 p.m. and Tuesday 2:30-3:30 p.m. Services are scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at Chancellor Funeral Home in Byram Tuesday in the funeral home chapel with burial to follow in Georgetown Cemetery. He is preceded in death by his son Charles Raymond Sumrall, two brothers and four sisters. Mr. Sumrall is survived by his sons, Charles Ray “Chuck” Sumrall, Jr. of Ludlow and Todd Easterling (Kim) of Caldwell, TX; daughters, May Ann Russell (Pat) of Florence and Michelle Sumrall Huey of Ludlow; sisters, Gwen Robbins; 14 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren. The family would like to thank Meagan Cox, caregiver, for her love and kindness to her “Pappaw Ray”. Mr. Charles Ray Sumrall was a decorated WWII Veteran that served his country proudly and was inducted at Camp Shelby, MS until October 1944. he was sent to Camp Joseph T. Robinson in AR where he completed basic training. In January of 1945, he was sent to a shipping point on the north eastern coast to arrive at la Harve France. He went from La Harve France to Germany. He was 20 years old when he entered active duty in Germany as a rifleman, in the 4th Division 22nd Infantry and later transferred to the 19th Infantry where he fought under both Gen. George G. Patton and Gen. Omar Bradley in both the 1st and 3rd Army in the European Theater and fought in five of the major battles: Battle of the Bulge, Battle of the Hürtgen Forest, The Crossing of the Rhine River at Cologne, Battle of Berlin, when Berlin was taken over. he was in two different crossing of the Rhine River and in the group that liberated Jew from one of the crematoriums. He fought in Germany and Belgium and was standing guard duty in snow near the Czech border when his feet froze and he took pneumonia. He was sent to a field hospital, somewhere in Belgium and later transferred to a hospital in Germany. The war ended May 7, 1945 and her served in the occupation troops. After his recovery, until he was shipped back to the United States at the end of the war on the St. Mary while in route to the South Pacific Theater. He was given a 10 day delay in route at home and was to be sent to the Pacific Theater following his leave. The war in the South Pacific Theater ended while he was at home, on the delay in route, August 14, 1945. Japan signs surrender September 2, 1945. he was discharged from the U.S. Army at Fort Bragg, North Carolina October 29, 1945 He received an honorable discharge, 5 Battle Stars, 3 Ribbons on a bar and Presidential Citation. He joined the Air Force October 30, 1945 and transferred to Keesler Field Air Base in MS. He was then transferred to Westoverfield, Mass. until his discharge in 1946 due to a housing shortage for families being transferred to Greenland. On line guest book available at www.chancellorfuneralhome.com.