DeLoris Ruth Summers died October 25, 2023, at home, in Marquis Assisted Living Center, Tualatin, Oregon. DeLoris was 91 years old. She was born May 26, 1932, and grew up on a farm outside of Bartley, Nebraska. DeLoris was the only child of Louis and Viola (Wall) Schaffert. DeLoris had fun growing up on the farm and liked telling stories such as riding her pony to country school. DeLoris had many cousins and relatives near her farm and life revolved around family and their country Lutheran church. Her grandfather lived with the family when DeLoris was young and kept the little girl occupied. She loved her grandfather very much. WW II, the Great Depression and drought figured strongly in her early life.
DeLoris went to Cambridge high school where she met another student Harold Blaine Summers, her future husband. DeLoris and Harold had a high school romance that started in 1946. They were married on June 15, 1952, in Cambridge, Nebraska. Harold was drafted into the Army one month after they married. They were fortunate he had played football for the University of Nebraska as he went to Germany to play football for the Army (instead of Korea). Harold returned from the Army in 1954. They moved to Crete, Nebraska where Harold graduated from Doane College. DeLoris worked as a bank teller while living in Cambridge and Crete.
Harold and DeLoris moved to Kearney, NE for Harold’s work after college where their son David was born. DeLoris was the Cub Scouts leader and taxicab driver, in her little red VW Bug, for David and his friends. She often tried for the world record of how many squirming 5-year-olds you could stuff in a VW Bug...plus a wiener dog! DeLoris was David’s biggest supporter in sports and loved to go camping in the family’s travel trailer. She also worked in the Lutheran Church office in Kearney for many years. Her church activities also involved playing the piano and organ at church services for many years. Harold worked for Farmers Mutual Insurance Company in Kearney. He moved with the company to Hastings, NE where they lived for four years, and then Lincoln, NE where Harold retired in 1993. Both Harold and DeLoris were rabid Husker fans! They enjoyed attending Husker sporting events. DeLoris also enjoyed researching her Germans from Russia heritage with the US headquarters in Lincoln. DeLoris made friends easily and cherished her friendships. She would stay in touch with friends she developed in each of these cities over her lifetime.
Harold, DeLoris and DeLoris’ mother, Viola, moved to Tualatin, OR in 1994 to be near their son David and wife Kendra. Harold developed Parkinson’s Disease soon after he retired, so DeLoris was caregiver for both Harold and her mother Viola. DeLoris was a devout Christian and was active in the Living Savior Lutheran Church in Tualatin, OR. For many years, DeLoris led the Amazing Grays, a senior group within the church. DeLoris enjoyed her work with the group very much.
DeLoris is preceded in death by her husband in 2004 after 52 years of marriage. DeLoris is survived by her son David Summers and his wife Kendra (Schwab) who live in Tualatin.
Graveside services will be held on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, at 2:00 PM at Fairview Cemetery of Cambridge with Pastor Dan Wiess officiating. Friends may leave online condolences at lockenour.com. Memorials may be sent to Living Savior Lutheran Church, 8740 SW Sagert Street, Tualatin, OR 97062-9116 or the Harold and DeLoris Summers Scholarship Fund, Doane College, 1014 Boswell Avenue, Crete, NE 68333. Lockenour Jones Mortuary entrusted with local arrangements.