Herbert Summers, 79, passed away May 27, 2014.
He was born May 16, 1935 to H.L. Summers and Kate Summers in Atlanta, Ga. The family moved to Mississippi near the end of WWII. He graduated from high school in Meridian, Miss. in 1953. He entered Air Force Aviation Cadet Training in 1954 where he received Air Force wings and commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in 1956.
He graduated from the University of South Mississippi in 1959 and worked full-time with the Mississippi Air National Guard for a few years before applying for a pilot position in 1961. He flew numerous aircraft with Delta and flew special flights during the introduction of the B767 and B757 for Delta. He was very proud of flying charters in support of bringing our troups home from Iraq during Desert Storm in 1991.
The last 5 years was all international flying on three different long range Delta aircraft, B767 ER, MD11, and L1011-500, flying to Europe and Asia. His retirement flight was to Dublin, Ireland, and back to Atlanta on May 12, 1995, prior to his 60th birthday.
Mr. Summers is survived by his wife of 49 years Jane Harris Summers; sons Steve (Cathy) Summers and Donald (Jennifer) Summers; grandchildren Josh, Emily, Blake and Grant.
A memorial service was held Friday, May 30, 2014 at 11 a.m. in the Chapel of Mowell Funeral Home, Fayetteville. The family received friends Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers the family request donations be made to The American Diabetes Association www.diabetes.org/donate or The Wounded Warrior Project www.woundedwarriorproject.org .
Carl J. Mowell & Son Fayetteville Chapel – www.mowellfuneralhome.com
