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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Former Spokane Pastor Dies

The Rev. William Summerour Seattle

Service for The Rev. William Franklin Summerour, 63, is planned for 1 p.m. today at First United Methodist Church in Tacoma. The Spokane service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Central United Methodist Church followed by burial at 3 p.m. at Cedonia (Wash.) Community Church and Cemetery.

Hazen & Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

The Rev. Summerour, who died Monday, was born in Johntown, Ga. He served in the Air Force and was discharged from Fairchild Air Force Base in 1955.

The Rev. Summerour served as pastor of Central United Methodist Church in Spokane from 1958 to 1959 and was pastor of Bonners Ferry United Methodist Church from 1959 to 1963. He was pastor of Audubon Park United Methodist Church from 1963 to 1967.

Between 1967 and 1972 he served as the Walla Walla district superintendent before being appointed Pastor of the Vancouver (Wash.) First Methodist Church.

He was the Spokane district superintendent of the United Methodist Church from 1979 to 1983. He then served the Edmonds (Wash.) United Methodist Church.

The Rev. Summerour became the director of the Pacific Northwest Conference Council of Ministries in 1991.

He was a member of the Spokane Club of the El Katif Shrine where he served as chaplain. He was honored with a doctorate of humanities degree from Pfeiffer College and with a doctorate of divinity degree from Kentucky Wesleyan, in recognition of his service to the local and global community, especially his support of medical and educational missions in Africa.

He was a 36-year member of the Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Methodist Church. He served on the Coweta Circuit of the North Geogia Conference and was appointed to several state commissions by Washington governors, including the Human Rights Commissions.

The Rev. Summerour was a former member of the Board of Trustees at Deaconess Hospital and was a former member of the Board of the El Katif Shrine.

Survivors include his wife of 39 years, Nona Summerour, at the home; two daughters, Theresa Summerour of Spokane and Kari Summerour Gilman of Olympia; a son, John Summerour of Tacoma; his mother, Irma Summerour of Dawsonville, Ga.; two brothers, Clay Summerour of San Antonio, Texas, and Russell Summerour of Dawsonville; five sisters, Leta Jones of Birmingham, Ala., Nita Wood and Susie Coleman, both of Atlanta, and Barbara Jean Huffstetter and Mary Carol Campbell, both of Dawsonville; numerous nieces and nephews; and two grandsons.

The family suggest memorials to Liberia Theological Student Scholarships, KAIROS Prison Ministries or Puget Sound Walk to Emmaus, all in care of Treasurer, PNW Conference, 2112 Third Ave., Suite 301, Seattle 98121-2333, or to the Shriners Hospital, P.O. Box 2472, Spokane 99210.