Gayla Jean (Corbin) Sumpter

Gayla Jean Corbin Sumpter was born March 21, 1950, in West Plains, Missouri, and died Friday, April 4, 2025, at her home in Charlestown, Indiana. She was the first of three children born to Nathan H. Corbin and Evelyn Rose Butler Sublett. Gayla graduated from New Town (North Dakota) High School in 1969 and from National College of Business in Rapid City, South Dakota in 1971.

In January 1972, she joined the US Navy and served until 1992. In 1974, she met and married fellow sailor George Sumpter, and they were married until his passing in 2018.

During her 20-year Navy career, she was stationed in Corpus Christi, Texas, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Adak, Alaska. After serving in the Navy, Gayla worked for the US Census Bureau in Jeffersonville, Indiana. A job that she thoroughly enjoyed for 20 years.

Gayla loved to travel, gamble at casinos, and she always enjoyed a daily walk. She was a proud kidney donor, saving her brother Jay’s life with her donation in 2008.

She is survived by her two brothers, Nate (Nancy) Corbin of Mandan, North Dakota, Jay (Susan) Corbin of Twentynine Palms, California, nephew Donnie Collins, and sister-in-law Pam Sumpter of Salem, Indiana, and brother-in-law and sister-in-law Pat and Vicki Sumpter of Richmond, Kentucky. Also surviving is companion Mike

Preceding her in death were her father, mother, and husband.

Gayla was a kind and loving person who made friends wherever she went. She will be missed by the many people who loved her.

A service is being planned for later in April in Charlestown.