George V. Summers

Dr. George V. Summers was a man deeply loved by his family. He is survived by his wife Joan, daughters Barbara Ford and Linda Dayen, their husbands Dan and Steve and four grandchildren - Joshua, Daniel, Jeremy and Matthew. The newest addition to the family was George and Joan's first great-granddaughter, Amelia, born to Jeremy and Cynthia Dayen on August 27, 2013. He had a precious sister, Delores, who died in 2011. George was born on April 21, 1929 and died on August 12, 2014, having lived over 85 full and vibrant years.

The centerpiece of George's career was the 16 years that he served as Director of Libraries for Loma Linda University and La Sierra University. He was a trailblazer in the field of library science, as he was the first Seventh-day Adventist to obtain a doctoral degree in this field of study, having received his PhD from the University of Southern California. Because of his expertise in the specialized field of medical librarianship, Dr. Summers was invited to leave Southern California to establish the library for the new school of medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where he served for 6 years. Preceding his retirement, Dr. Summers became the Library Director for East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania, where he served for another 6 years.

Before his 28-year career in library administration, George had a fulfilling experience as an Academy teacher. After studying at Washington Missionary College (now Washington Adventist University), George began his teaching career at Mount Pisgah Academy and after just one year accepted the invitation to become the principal of Pittsburgh Junior Academy. His longest tenure as a teacher was at Blue Mountain Academy. He and Joan were part of the original faculty when BMA opened its doors in 1955 and he continued there for 9 years before coming to California. Both of George and Joan's daughters were born while they were at BMA.

George and Joan had just celebrated their 61st anniversary on August 9, just 3 days before his death. Music and art were two of his great passions until the very end of his life. In fact, George took up painting in a big way in his retirement years and left a large collection of beautiful paintings to be enjoyed by future generations.

George fully believed in the hope of the resurrection and the free gift of eternal life made possible through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He embraced the promise recorded in 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 (NKJV): "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed; in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.'" We look forward to that great day when we shall see him again!