Frank Harrison Sommer Jr.

1930 - 2020

Frank Harrison Sommer Jr.

Frank Harrison Sommer Jr, 89, died at his home in Warrington on March 8, 2020 surrounded by his family. He was the loving husband of Rosalie (Russell) Sommer for 61 years.

He was born May 21, 1930, in Essex, MD to Frank Harrison Sommer Sr and Eleanor Josephine (Przybylski) Sommer.

An avid reader and lifelong learner, Frank had many hobbies. A Pennsylvania State Master Gardener, he shared his gardening knowledge through a column for York Daily Record and hosted the internet web site Sommer in the Garden. He kept bees and had a lifelong love of bird watching.

He was also interested in the arts. He drew, painted and made wood carvings. In his 40s, he learned to play the clarinet, joining his wife and daughters in the clarinet section of the Red Lion-Felton Band.

He was a National Boy Scout Jamboree scoutmaster at the 1957 Valley Forge National Boy Scout Jamboree. He was Boy Scout Leader of Troop 400 of Delta and Troop 352 of Brogue.

Frank graduated from Old Post Road High School in 1947 and the Mergenthaler School of Printing in Baltimore, MD.

He was a veteran of the Korean War, serving in the 7th Army Headquarters in Germany.

He began his career as a printer with the Sommer family business of The Star Printing Company, publishers of the weekly newspaper, the Delta Star. From there he became a technical writer with the Bendix Corporation and the former Borg-Warner, today's York International Corporation. In the early days of computers, he became a computer programmer and systems analyst with Borg-Warner, Campbell Chain of York, PA, an information technology manager, retiring from McCrory Corporation.

He was a Justice of the Peace in Peach Bottom Township, York County, Pennsylvania from 1955-1958.

He was a lay reader at St John's Episcopal church at Kingsville, MD at age 10; lay reader at Holy Cross Episcopal Church the Rocks, Street, MD and lay reader and secretary of the vestry at St Andrews Episcopal Church, York, PA.

He was a volunteer at the Collinsville Community Library and a Volunteer Ombudsmen for the York County Area Agency of Aging. He was also an elementary school reading tutor.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by two daughters, Katherine Elizabeth Sommer and her husband William R. Beshire of Wheaton, IL; and Diane Faith Donaher and her husband Richard of Warrington, PA; three grandchildren, Kevin Richard Donaher of Cambridge, MA, Faith Marie Donaher of Phoenixville, PA and Eleanor Katherine Rose Donaher of Northampton, MA.; three brothers Gilbert Bernarr Sommer (Anne), Charles Gordon Sommer (Margaret) and Henry Marion Sommer (Glenda); a sister Carol Leona Mullins; and many nieces and nephews. A brother, John William Sommer, preceded him in death.

Due to growing concerns over the spread of the coronavirus, at a later date there will be a funeral service at St. Paul's UM Church, Warrington, PA and a funeral service at Centre Presbyterian Church. Interment will be at Centre.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St Paul's Preschool, 2131 Palomino Dr., Warrington, PA 18976.