Judge Sumner Z. Kaplan

We miss Sumner

I grew up on Russell St in Brookline. Sumner changed the course of my life the summer that I graduated college. I was sitting outside when Sumner came over and asked if I had considered joining his Reserve unit. This was the summer of 1965. I had not thought about Vietnam until my parents contacted someone that they new on the draft board and found out that I was about to be drafted. I joined his unit and it changed my life. Forever grateful

We just wanted you to know that we are still holding Sumner in our thoughts and prayers. It is our hope that the love each of you have for him has continued to hold you together in supporting one another through his loss.

Dear Ruth and family.
Please accept my sincere condolences on the loss of your father,husband, grandfather, and friend.
Fondly,
Sandy Orenstein

To Ruth and members of the Kaplan family, please accept my condolences. I only met Sumner a couple of times, but what a wonderful and gracious man! Dan Margolies

Ellie, thanks to your family stories, we had a warm and wonderful inside understanding of Sumner's heart and spirit through the decades and within the context of our Jewish culture and history. It felt as if you were "filling in the blanks" about my own grandparents because I didn't get to ask them directly about their earlier lives. Ellie, my heart goes out to all of you in this sad time. Love, Ruth, from the Tellng Your Stories Group.

Sumner was a giant in my eyes.

I first met him when I was a teenager and my older sister was his secretary. I had a budding interest in politics, but had neither the lineage nor circumstances that offered an easy entre. When I expressed my vague ambitions, Sumner made me think my hopes weren't so far fetched.

He had that unique ability to give a fresh faced kid wise, kind and generous advice in a way that the kid felt he was being taken as a serious person. It was...

Sumner's dedication and counsel will be deeply missed at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Building on many years of involvement at UMass Amherst, he was an original member of the Commonwealth Honors College Advisory Board, helping to guide the college through its first decade. We will miss him. Our thoughts are with his family.

Deepest condolences from your cousins,
Anna and Steve Heffron
Sally Wechsler