The Town of Whitestown has announced the passing of Town Council Vice President Tanya Sumner, 53, with sentiments of gratitude for her dedication to the community and mourning for the town’s loss from her colleagues from her extensive career in communications and public relations.
Sumner has become known as the Vice President of the Town Council, but she was a prominent community members in numerous other facets across the state with her work as a news anchor and reporter for 14 WFIE and WRTV before moving into the Director of Public Relations role for the town in March 2015.
Sumner reportedly discovered that she had a rare, genetically-mutated and aggressive form of colon cancer, known as Kras G12c mutation, during an emergency surgery of Nov. 17, 2022, and she battled with the diagnosis and maintained her optimistic outlook for nearly two years. In a final Facebook post to her friends, Sumner stated, “Time. Good health. Those are our only true commodities. Our only true currencies that matter.”
Whitestown Town Manager Katie Barr released a statement regarding Sumner’s contributions to the Whitestown council and her dedication to her role as a councilwoman.
“The Town of Whitestown has lost a dedicated leader who will leave a void in all our hearts,” Barr said. “Vice President Sumner wasn’t just a dedicated councilwoman, she was ingrained in our community and cared deeply for her family, friends, neighbors and colleagues. Her love for this community was infectious and will be sorely missed.”
Councilman Tobe Thomas reflected Barr’s statements, regarding Sumner as an inspiring and outstanding colleague on the council who brightened the room and ensured the best was sought after for the community.
“It has been such an absolute honor to serve with Tanya,” Thomas wrote. “She was the absolute best of us. She truly devoted every fiber of her being to the betterment of this community, and I am truly honored to have witnessed her devotion firsthand. Oh how this hurts.”
Sumner was noted as the first Assistant Town Manager where she devoted herself to the Whitestown community, which was a mindset she maintained throughout her years serving Whitestown.