I knew Greg because his son and I were best friends while college students at Ole Miss. No doubt he was an intelligent, principled, and extremely decent man. Yankhater (his son) is also one of the most brilliant, hilarious, and solid characters around. After he graduated things were never the same for me at Ole Miss, as my best friend went back to the great state of Virginia. It was tough after Yankhater left because he was and is truly a genuine person while there were so many fake and selfish people there. Sultan was also in my fantasy baseball league and it was always a joy to read his posts and thoughts about baseball. He was a true and dedicated fan. I send heartfelt prayers and condolences to the Summers family. Amidst so much pain and trials there is solid comfort in knowing that he will be fully healed, restored, and glorified with Christ our Savior. Mr. Summers was so decent and passionate and his passion will live on through his great son who changed my life for the better in so many ways.
Grace, Peace and Love through all eternity!
This was a popular tagline that he used. I can imagine him and the Gipper having a wonderful political discussion in heaven!
As long as he is remembered he lives on. God bless his family and friends.
Your #111 is beautiful. Thank you.
To All,
My sincerest and most heartfelt thanks to each and evry one of you for your wonderful tribute to my father and kind words to myself and my family during this difficult time.
My father passed away at 1:15 AM on July 8. I came home early that day around 6:00 PM. I was there when my father blacked out and called the ambulance. My father died of heart failure. He had been born with a serious heart defect...basically the heart was enlarged and its arteries were reversed. When he was 9 years old this small boy from rural Pennsylvania had open heart surgery at a country hospital. The number one pediatric cardiologist in the nation at the time was brought in and they did what they could. We later learned that his chances were slim at the time and yet he lived another 47 years. In 1993 he had an infection and endocarditis which eventually over he past decade took a toll on his kidneys. Once again the Grace of God and a team of expert physicians gave him another 10 years when once again his chances were slim. Over the past year he has been on dialysis which took a toll on his energy, blood pressure and heart. Ultimately one problem after another compounded eventually stopping his heart.
I am glad that at least we had one more conversation for 20 minutes before he blacked out. We talked of baseball, history, politics, and movies...our favorite subjects. Thinking about it now...he had been hinting to me that he would not last long. I feel as if he was waiting for me to come home so we could have one last chat.
This has by far been the saddest day of my entire life. While I rejoice that he is in a better place right now...it it painful beyond words to describe the way I feel. I did not just lose my father...I lost my best friend and hero.
I know many of you knew my father either personally or via the world wide web. He thought very highly of all his FRiends here. Many of you knew the kind of man he was and how loving and honorable he was.
He was a man who was always there for me...when I was on the pitching mound with the game on the line I could always glance to see him sitting in the stands...whether I won or lost he was just happy to see me play the game he loved so deerly but could never play himself due to illness...he was a father I could talk to man to man...as a dad or as a friend....he was a mentor...he was the man who taught me values, integrity, honor and respect.
He loved politics...he loved his country and loved to jab at the lefties who tried to bring it down...he was very much in personality like his hero Ronald Reagan....While he would decry the hypocrcisy of the Welfare State...he was a man I saw buying dirty used hats for 25 cents from a homeless man because he knew it kept that man coming to our church services every week. He was a man that decried the phoney racial politics of Jesse Jackson...but would not tolerate the hatred of a man's skin color...a man who kept his house in the same neighborhood when we became the only white family on the street.
He was a leader who led by example....he once in fact jokingly refered to his profession as a leader of men....but I never thought it a joke.
He taught me the very meaning of quiet courage...He never complained in public and rarely in private of his many illnesses...we will never really know how sick he really felt. But it never stopped him from talking about the latest Oakland A's loss or John Kerry flip flop, or reminding me to pay my bills...in fact even at his sickest he always made time in the day to talk to me...even having to sit through all those history lessons of mine.
He is the man who made me the man I am today...And if I am half the man he was...I consider myself fortunate.
For those in the area the funeral service and visitation will both be held at E.Alvin Small Funeral Home....3935 South Crater Road in Petersburg, VA. Viewing will be on Friday 7-9:30 PM and the funeral Saturday at 11:00 AM.
I thank you for your thoughts and prayers for my family.
Mark Summers