James Ronald Summers

Rev. Summers, who many called “Pastor Summers,” served the Lord through full-time ministry for more than 50-years, and he was known by his favorite phrase, “Are you livin’ right?”

His ministry began at the Park Avenue Baptist Church in 1961, after his graduation from Isaac Litton High School in East Nashville (1959). He served for many years as a Minister of Music, then moved on to Chattanooga where he served at the East Ridge Baptist Church. He returned to Park Avenue Baptist for 9 months, and then he felt God’s call to the Pastorate.

During his time as a pastor, he served in two churches – the Mount Prospect Bible Church in the Chicagoland area, and then the Northwest Baptist Church in Miami, Florida, where he served for 34 years.

Pastor Summers retired in 2013 and moved back to his beloved Nashville, TN, where he lived out his last days.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Sandra Easterly Summers, and three children: Jamie Summers Salois (Albert Earnest Salois), David Nathan Summers (Lynne Marie Summers), and Andrew Phillip Summers (Stephanie Fox Summers). He was also “Papa” to ten grandchildren – Amy Lynne Summers, Emily Marie Summers, Eleina Lea Summers, Zoe Grace Padgett, Keira Noel Padgett, Sandra Anita Summers, James Perry Summers, Claire Victoria Summers, Kellen Drew Summers, and Juliette Belle Summers.

Reverend Summers impacted the lives of thousands, but the impact he had as a father and as “Papa” is, by far, the greatest legacy he left.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at two o’clock in the afternoon on Saturday, September 5, 2020 in Dignity Hall of Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home with Interment to follow in Woodlawn Memorial Park.

A gathering of family and friends will be held from four until eight o’clock in the evening on Friday, September 4, 2020 at Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home.