Helen Overton Sommers, 91, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, May 27, 2015, surrounded by her children. She was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, Louis H. Sommers, Jr., parents, Claude and Helen Overton, brothers Charles Overton, Jim Overton, Jack Overton and sisters, Virginia Lyle and Eva Spotorno. She is survived by sons, Philip Sommers (Denise) and Mark Sommers (Trish), both of Huntsville; daughters, Eva Evans (Eddie) of Asheville, NC and Jennifer Denton (Jon) of Decatur, AL; fourteen loving grandchildren; and four great grandchildren. Her youngest great-grandchild was born on the day she died.
Helen was born in Memphis, TN, graduating from Sienna College with a major in Mathematics and a minor in Political Science. She was a stay-at-home mom while her kids were young, but later she began to branch out. She was an avid tennis player. In the early 70’s she served as the president of the Huntsville Chapter of the League of Women Voters. She found her special calling as one of the first volunteers with Hospice Family Care, where she served for over 25 years. She used her excellent sewing skills in designing and making special cushions, pads and other equipment to make her hospice patients more comfortable and improve their quality of life. As a product of the Depression era, her mantra was “Use it up. Wear it out. Make it do. Do without.” She lived up to this in every way. She was an excellent wife, mother and friend, and will be greatly missed.
A special thanks to our “second family”, the staff at Harborchase Memory Care, who provided Mom with such loving care during the past year.
Visitation will be from 8:30-10:30 AM on Monday, June 1 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, with a funeral Mass to immediately follow. Burial will be at Maple Hill Cemetery.
The family requests that memorials be made to: Hospice Family Care, 3304 Westmill Drive, Huntsville, AL 35805.
