Remembering Patti Summers

Memorial to Patti Summers

On June 25, 2000, Montgomery County and the State of Pennsylvania lost one of its pioneers in the movement to bridge the gap between people with disabilities and the community. Patti Summers died at the age of 45.

For the past year, she had been struggling with a rare form of cancer, cutaneous t-cell lymphoma. Patti leaves behind two daughters, Mari Elizabeth, 23 and Keri Anne 18, and a granddaughter.

It seems most fitting that we spend a few moments to remind you just how special she really was.

Twenty-one years ago she began as a direct care staff at the Progress Program located on the grounds of Norristown State Hospital. It was there that she learned the importance of advocacy. 

Her many accomplishments include, holding the office of Regional Vice President for ARC/PA. Patti was the advocate for the ARC/Montgomery County from 1986 through 1989.

She was involved in the conception of Speaking For Ourselves, acting as the Advisor, for the Montgomery County Chapter. She was a board member of The Commonwealth Institute, as well as the Executive Director ARC/Lancaster and the Youth Adult Group.

Patti represented the State of Pennsylvania at the President's Committee on Mental Retardation. Additionally, she sat on the Human Rights Committee's at Pennhurst, Norristown State Hospital and Embreeville State Center. Patti also sat on a number of statewide committees.

In 1989, she was awarded Advocate of the Year by Montgomery County Office of Mental Health and Retardation.

However, if she were able, Patti would tell you that the greatest joys in her life were the birth of her two daughters. It is amazing to think she was able to juggle Girl Scout camp and coaching cheerleading at her daughter's school, and to the countless hours she would spend trying to support individuals with disabilities. Most recently, Patti volunteered at her local church teaching CCD to children with disabilities.

Personal Tributes to Patti Summers

Patty Summers was my mother and will be sorely missed. She was very active in helping the mentally retarded members of our society. Even on her free time helping those in need always came first. She was investigating the deaths at Pennhurst, and found a lot of infants and children who were just thrown away, buried like they never meant anything. My mom was always teaching us to respect all living beings no matter what their background and what their appearances may have looked like. She had a great love for her family, especially her children and her granddaughter. I am proud of her for all she did in the mentally disabled community, and those she helped are greatly blessed to have had the joy of knowing Patti. I miss my mom very much, and I hope that her death will help others in some way of finding out a cure for cancer. She was a fighter till the end. My mother never gave up in anything she did in her short time on earth.
-- Mom, we love you, and miss you, Keri, Mari, and Tricia

She was someone that we loved. She was a kind, humble person to all of us that came to know her very well.
-- Richard Young

Patti will be sorely missed because of all that she did for self-advocates. She will be up with Roland Johnson up in heaven.
-- Steve Dorsey

Patti - I will miss you. You were a good person. You were there for us. You helped others when they needed.
-- Karen Hayes

Patti helped me out when I had problems. She helped me out of the institution, Pennhurst and all. She came to the institution and made them let me out of there. She will be sorely missed and she will be missed by everybody, especially her daughter.
-- Betty Potts

Pat was very good to us. She helped us with the wedding. She arranged everything. Jerome was very close to her mother and the kids. It feels like she is not really gone but she is. We will miss her a lot.
-- Carole and Jerome Iannuzzi

I remember Patti as one of the early spark plugs of Speaking For Ourselves. She worked hard in those early days when most professionals didn't believe what the organization could do to help one another become more strong and courageous as citizens in their neighborhoods and counties. Her early actions have inspired the rest of us to truly believe in the power of self-advocacy.
-- Bob Perske, noted author

I am sorry that Patti is no longer with us. It hurt me inside to hear that Patti is gone. I really cared about her.
-- Larry Gallimore

Thank you Patti -- for challenging me to do better, teaching me to be a better advocate, for being a loyal friend, telling me some funny stories, for sharing good times, and being a solid self-advocate supporter. This is how I remember you.
-- Bill Worrell, Toronto, Canada

We all lost a fine person and friend.
-- Nancy Thaler

Patti was a good woman. I am grateful that Patti was here.
-- Charles Burkhouse

The Arc of Pennsylvania was fortunate to have had an advocate like Patti Summers. We extend our sympathy to those who have lost a mother, friend and colleague.
-- Martie Worley, The ARC of Pennsylvania

I remember Patti in the early days of the Self-Advocacy movement. She was always there when needed, taught advocates how to do better for themselves, and taught us all how to give of ourselves unconditionally, as she did.
-- Joan Warren