Janice Rials “Jan” Sumerlin, a resident of Webb, Alabama, went home to be with her Lord Friday afternoon, May 30, 2025, in a Dothan hospital. She was 70. an was born in Panama City, Florida and was reared in Panama City and Theodore, Alabama, daughter of the late Frank Davis Rials and Roberta Huffman Rials. She graduated with honors in 1972 from Theodore High School. Danny and Jan were married June 8, 1974 in Grand Bay, Alabama. Following their marriage, she followed Danny to Montgomery while he served in the U. S. Air Force until 1978. After moving to Montgomery, Jan developed a career in Office Management and served as an Office Manager in various businesses and Baptist Churches, serving as an Administrative Assistant until her retirement in 2017. From 2002 until 2014, she rehabbed orphan squirrels and was affectionately nicknamed “The Squirrel Whisperer”. Jan loved being “Mom” to Jessica, “Nana” to Taylor and Brayden, sister to John and Jimmy and friend to many. Most of all, she loved being Danny’s wife and best friend for almost fifty-one years. Jan loved children. Throughout their ministry together, she worked with children, started and built children’s ministries, and made lasting friendships with children. Jan is
frequently called a “Kid Magnet”. They all knew she loved them. At Webb Baptist Church, she picked up children and brought them to church on Sundays and Wednesdays, taught a Children’s Sunday School Class and a Wednesday night children’s class. At the time of her homegoing, Jan was mentoring a sweet twelve-year-old young lady whom she dearly loved. She has made a lasting, profound, positive difference in countless lives and only eternity will reveal how many. Her last ministry assignment was teaching a Senior Adult Ladies Class whom she dearly loved. Jan had a loving appeal to people of all ages, an infectious sense of humor, a genuine warmth, and a delightful laugh. Jan was a generous and selfless lady who was much loved and will be sorely missed. Surviving relatives include her husband, Reverend Danny Sumerlin; a daughter, Jessica Sumerlin Donaldson (Michael), Dothan; grandchildren, Taylor Hope Zirlott and Brayden Alexander Donaldson; a brother, James Rials (Linda), Montgomery; a sister-in-law, Susan Rials, Pensacola, FL; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law from the Sumerlin family, David and Rita Sumerlin, Debbie Sumerlin, Donna Sumerlin and Tim Sumerlin, several nieces and nephews. Serving as active pallbearers will be David Sumerlin, Tim Sumerlin, James Rials, Jamar Ivey, Trey Wright and Aaron Cornett.
December 1, 1954 - May 30, 2025
Funeral services will be held at 5:00 P.M. Friday, June 6, 2025, in the Webb Baptist Church with Reverend Danny Sumerlin, Reverend Shawn Fanchette, Reverend Tim Willis and Reverend Tim Gay officiating. The family will receive friends from 3:30 until 5:00 P.M. Friday in the sanctuary of the Webb Baptist Church. A second funeral service will be held at 2:00 P.M. Saturday, June 7, 2025, in the Serenity Funeral Home Chapel, 8691 Old Pascagoula Road, Theodore, Alabama 36582. The family will receive friends from 12:30 until 2:00 P.M. Saturday at Serenity Funeral Home. Burial will follow in the Mobile Memorial Gardens, 6100 Three Notch Road, Mobile, AL 36619.
