Ruth Summers

Mary Ruth Summers was born on July 8, 1937 in Grand Junction Colorado to Wilbur and Rita (Vest) Zimmerman. The family, including her older brother Charles Zimmerman, lived and farmed in Whitewater CO until moving to Van Nuys, CA when Ruth was still very young. She was raised in Van Nuys where she, with her family, became members of the Van Nuys Church of the Nazarene. Ruth had many stories she shared about growing up with her cousin and lifelong friend Pauline (Denny) Summers, just a few blocks away. She would often share stories about the “shenanigans” that went on while cruising Van Nuys Blvd in the 50’s as a teenager with her brother Charles, Pauline, and other youth friends from the church. In those years, the church was right on Van Nuys Blvd, close to the heartbeat of that town. While the craziness was fun, Ruth stayed close to the church where a seed was planted in her heart that would grow into a lifelong relationship with Jesus.

In the latter part of those years she met William “Bill” Summers who she would marry and be devoted to for just three weeks shy of 60 years. Their 60 year anniversary would have been this June 21. Together they raised three boys, Chuck, Lee, and Todd. Ruth raised them to be Godly men that loved the Lord, their wives, their children, and their church.

In 1968, Bill and Ruth settled in the Santa Clarita Valley where they became members of the young Newhall Church of the Nazarene. Ruth devoted herself to God, her family, and the church she came to love. Over the course of 50 yrs, she served as witness, encourager, prayer warrior, and comic relief. She also served as church custodian for more than two decades, but will be remembered most by her church family as “Miss Ruth”, Sunday School teacher to hundreds of young children through the years.

In her home, she was the loving hub of activity. She loved time in her home with family, extended family, 6 grandchildren, and 7 great grandchildren. She had an uncanny ability to laugh at herself which brought many a belly laugh to any family and friends in the room.

She enjoyed road trips through countryside and small towns. She especially enjoyed the beauty of the Colorado Rockies, even more so during fall when the Aspen trees lit up the mountains with a brilliant, scattered yellow glow. Her most devoted activity was wearing out her bibles by reading, studying, and unceasingly praying for her family and friends.

Ruth is survived by her husband of 59 years, William “Bill” Summers of Santa Clarita, her three sons, Charles Summers and his wife Lisa of Castaic, Lee Summers and his wife Charmaine of Durango CO, Todd Summers and his wife Nancy of Bethany OK, a step daughter Victoria Linden of Caldwell ID, and a step son Bill Hoppe of Bullhead City AZ. She is also survived by her brother Charles Zimmerman of Sylmar, two nieces, Ruthie Zimmerman of Sylmar and Martha Boyd and her husband Adam of Papua New Guinea, 6 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.

Ruth is preceded in death by her father and mother, Wilbur and Rita (Vest) Zimmerman, a half brother, Arlo Zimmerman, great grandson Henry Ford Jacobs, a sister-in-law, Josephine Zimmerman, a brother-in-law, Dean Summers and his wife, Ruth’s cousin, lifelong friend, and eventual sister-in-law, Pauline (Denny) Summers.

A visitation for Mary will be held Thursday, June 7, 2018 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Eternal Valley Memorial Park Mortuary, 23287 North Sierra Hwy, Newhall, CA 91321.

A Memorial Service will occur Friday, June 8, 2018 at 3:00 PM. Newhall Church of the Nazarene, 23857 The Old Road, Newhall, CA 91321. With a reception to follow at the Newhall Church of the Nazarene.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.eternalvalleymortuary.com for the Summers family.