Eleanor Martin Summers
Irondequoit, NY: On Saturday, July 27, 2024, Eleanor passed away peacefully in her home at age 97. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Eleanor was predeceased by her husband, Frank V. Summers and survived by her sons Scott (Robin) Summers, and Drew (June) Summers, five grandchildren: Jon (Lisa), Kate (Bert), Beth (Patrick), Wylie (Myndi), Antonnia (David), and seven great-grandchildren: Oliver, Violet, Grace, Max, Olivia, Elizabeth, Brooks. She was born on April 12, 1927, to Lyle S. and John F. Martin in Rumford Point, ME. Eleanor was educated in a one-room schoolhouse and later graduated from Stephens High School in Rumford. She then attended several colleges before graduating from Boston University with a degree in early childhood education. She and Frank, from Omaha, NE, met in Pittsfield, MA and married shortly afterward in March 1952. They loved each other dearly. Eleanor strongly supported Frank’s growing career and moved her family five times until they eventually settled in Charlotte, NC. Throughout her life, Eleanor cherished the family’s Bailey Island, ME summer cottage as her happy place. Eleanor loved children and was a nursery school teacher for many years. Her other passion was animals, especially cats, and worked as President, Mecklenburg County Humane Society for 20 years. In this role, she actively worked to educate people on how to properly care for pets, as well as supporting spay and neutering clinics.In 2003, Eleanor and Frank moved to Rochester, NY to be near their sons. Towards the end of her life, she persevered through several medical emergencies and was able to stay happily at home thanks to her home care aides. She and her family called them her “angels of mercy.” Special thanks go to Colleen, Coral, Karen, Tina, Maggie, Kathy, Susan, Jeri, and Heather for their unwavering efforts to keep Eleanor comfortable and safe through the past six years as her dementia steadily worsened. She will be interred with Frank at White Haven Cemetery in Rochester, NY at a private family event. In Eleanor’s remembrance, please consider donating to the Genesee Valley Audubon Society, PO Box 15512, Rochester, NY 14615.
Eleanor was an amazing person. I love her dearly. She had the best vocabulary of anyone I’ve ever met and I loved to read to her. She always enjoyed it when I did “all the voices.” I’m sure I will think of her often in the years to come.