Craig Edmund Sumner, 76, of Huntsville was born to Burrel and Alleen Sumner in Long Beach, California on June 21, 1949, and passed away unexpectedly on April 27, 2026. Being a Marine’s son, he lived in various places in his younger years, graduating high school in Pensacola, FL. He attended and graduated from Pensacola Junior College and finally, the University of West Florida with a degree in Engineering, laying the foundation for a lifelong career in space exploration.
Craig built a distinguished career in the space industry beginning in 1969 on the Apollo program as a college intern. He worked on the design and build of the Lunar Roving Vehicle, and was one of the few that actually trained the Apollo Astronauts to drive the vehicle on the Moon’s surface. His Vietnam lottery number came up and he joined the United States Air Force, eventually flying C-130s before he was honorably discharged from the USAF in 1976 as a Captain. He returned to Huntsville and back to NASA. He worked payloads and various other pieces of the Space Shuttle program before he finally retired from NASA in 1997 as the Deputy Project Manager for the Space Shuttle External Tank. After NASA, he worked for United Space Alliance and was the Chief Engineer of Space Shuttle Propulsion when he retired alongside the Space Shuttle Program in 2011. After this retirement, he was asked to come back in support of Boeing as a Subject Matter Expert on the Thermal Protection System for the Core Stage of SLS/Artemis, finally retiring for good in 2024!
Craig was a devoted husband to his wife of 52 years, Linda, whom he had met while in Air Force Flight school. He and Linda spent roughly 25 years supporting, instructing, and leading Equestrian Special Olympics events. The last couple years, he enjoyed being on the Board of Directors for Huntsville’s First Stop Organization which assist the homeless in Huntsville offering meals, supplies, on-site case management, mental health services, a medical clinic, and housing assistance to those in need. This year, he had been elected President of the Board.
Craig also enjoyed sharing his passion of Manned Space Flight as a docent at the United States Space and Rocket Center. He loved interacting with children and adults alike sharing stories and answering questions to folks coming through the museum.
Craig leaves behind his loving wife, Linda; children, Aaron Sumner (Ashley) and Carrie Cowan (Jeremy); grandchildren, Savannah Sumner, and Pippa, and Autumn Rose Cowan; sisters, Cheri Henderson (Quentin), and Jolene Hamilton (Ron); brother-in-law, Charlie Sanderson (Betty); numerous nieces and nephews; and one pup, Dobby. His legacy lives on in the people he inspired, the programs he supported, and the countless conversations about space exploration that sparked curiosity in others.
Visitation will be from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at Trinity United Methodist Church. The funeral service will follow at 2:30 with Rev. Mitchell Williams officiating. Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, consider donating to the United States Space and Rocket Center and First Stop of Huntsville.
