Carolyn Linch Summers, 107, of LaFayette, GA, died on Monday, December 1, 2014 in her home.
Mrs. Summers retired after thirty-nine years of teaching in DeKalb and Walker Counties, Georgia. She received her education at Old State Normal College, the University of Georgia at Athens, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and Columbia University of New York. Mrs. Summers initiated and taught the first state funded Special Education class in Walker County. She was of the Methodist faith and taught in the primary department of the First United Methodist Church of LaFayette during her adult life until 1972. She was a member of the Nell Ransom Sunday school class and the Virginia Hall Circle. Mrs. Summers was an active member of the Chamber of Commerce, the LaFayette Womans Club, a lifetime member of the National Education Association, the Georgia Education Association, the Walker County Retired Teachers Association, the William Marsh Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and a charter member of the Alpha Beta chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society. She was the daughter of David Chapman Linch and Mary Willie Ingram Linch of Coweta County, Georgia. She had four sisters and three brothers.
She was preceded in death by her husband, State Senator E.G. Summers; and her son, David E. Summers of Marietta, GA.
Survivors include daughter, Mary Ellen Summers Nelson and her husband Malcolm Nelson of LaFayette, GA; and daughter-in-law, Barbara Summers of Marietta, GA; grandchildren, Teresa Hensley and her daughter Erica Hensley of Atlanta, Jeff Summers and his wife Linda Summers and their children Kevin, Andrew and Savannah Summers, Jessica Summers Donaldson and her husband Ty of Senoia, GA, Alan Summers and his wife Sherri and their children Wesley, Samantha, and Olivia Summers of Powder Springs, GA; Caren Nelson Culpepper and her husband Ron Culpepper and their children Cole and Jared Culpepper of Powder Springs, Aime Nelson Welch and her children Taylor Caren and Emma Frances Welch of Rock Spring, GA and Daniel Nelson of Oak Hill, WV.
Pallbearers are Jeff Summers, Alan Summers, Daniel Nelson, Dan Priest, Brad Stevens, and Ron Culpepper. Honorary pallbearers are Mrs. Summers’great grandchildren, niece Jenny Canon and her husband Jerry and loving caregiver Bobbie Gilreath.
The family will receive friends from 2-3 p.m. on Wednesday, December 3.
There will be a funeral service officiated by Pastors John Hagen and David Autry directly after visitationat Wallis Wilbanks Funeral Home followed by interment in the LaFayette Cemetery.
The family wishes that donations be sent to the First Methodist Church of LaFayette in lieu of flowers.
Wallis-Wilbanks Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements.