It is with a heavy heart and my deepest sympathy that we belatedly learn of the passing of another of our Distinguished Veterans and a Valued Comrade. Through the Static Line Magazine we learned that Mr. John H Summer, Hq Company 1st Bn, 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 17th Airborne Division, passed away on 26 April 2009. With the assistance of Mr Summer’s Architecture Firm I was able to contact Mrs Susan Ory, his Daughter, to obtain the information for this message.
Following his service in World War II Mr Summer attended Georgia Tech and earned a degree in Architecture. He started his own firm, John H Summer and Associates, and specialized in commercial architecture and designed many famous buildings in the Atlanta, Georgia area. He also designed many churches, hotels, office buildings and bank facilities. Mr. Summer joined our Association in 1982 and became a Life Member in 1996.
Mr Summer really never retired. He stayed active in the architecture work until sidelined by a series of “Strokes”. The cause of death was complications from the series of stroked at the age of 87.
The Obituary as published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is as follows :
JOHN H. “JACK” SUMMER
John H. “Jack” Summer, 87, of Atlanta, Georgia died in his home on Sunday, April 26, 2009 following a long illness. Born August 21, 1921 in Newberry, South Carolina, Jack was the son of Elbert Hugh Summer and Vera Lucille Summer. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 55 years, Anne A. Summer; his brothers, Hugh and Robert Summer; his sister, Frances Hanson, and a daughter, Cindy Summer Watson.
Jack moved to Atlanta with his family while still in his teens. At the start of WW-II Jack enlisted in the Army and attended jump school at Fort Benning, Georgia. He was a member of the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division and participated in the D-Day jump into Normandy on June 6, 1944. Upon his return from the war, he attended school at Georgia Tech, graduating with a degree in architecture. He started his own firm, John H. Summer and Associates, in 1961, and specialized in commercial architecture, designing such Atlanta buildings as WAGA-TV, the Ritz/Carlton Downtown and Pittypat’s Porch. He also designed many churches, hotels, office buildings and bank facilities. In 1990 he changed the name of the firm to Summer/Wise & Associates.
Jack was an excellent architect of unquestionable integrity and modest pride. He was one of the first architects in the Atlanta area to convert from the old pencil drawings to the new computer design for planned development. He was an indisputable credit to his profession. Jack was chosen to be the architect for the 507th PIR, 82nd Airborne memorial, which was unveiled by Jack and his fellow soldiers in Amfreville, France in 2002. Jack is survived by his daughter and her husband, Susan and Jim Ory; his grandson, Jonathan Ory; and several nieces and nephews.
Mr. Summer is survived by his Daughter, Susan, and one Grandchild.
Correspondence and messages of Condolence may be addressed to the Summer Family as follows :
Mrs. Susan Ory
5485 Hubert Stephens Rd
Murrayville, GA-30564
Sincerely
Del Townsend & Gunter Gillot
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