Summers Clark Hassell

Summers Hassell (87) was born in the Beulah Community near Alto, TX on August 19, 1937 to William Jesse Hassell and Amy Audral Wallace Hassell. He passed away on January 6, 2025 in Rusk, Texas. A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, January 18th at 2:00 p.m. at A. Frank Smith Methodist Church (131 Cooper Street) in Alto, TX officiated by Rev. Bill Jenkins. Visitation will begin at 1:00 prior to the service.
Summers graduated from Alto High School in 1955 and then attended Lon Morris College. After his time there, he served in the United States Army and in 1958 married Pamela Hugghins, also from Alto. They moved to Houston where Summers worked for Coca Cola Foods Division in Research and Development for 12 years. In 1966 they adopted a newborn son, Kevin. They later divorced and in 1972, after a few years as a single dad, Summers and Kevin returned to Alto, where Summers worked as a meat inspector for the State of Texas. In October 1974, he married Marcia Page, who became his wife of 50 years. He then continued to serve the state by working at the Rusk State Hospital and retired in 1998. However, retirement didn't slow him down a bit!.
Through the years, he enjoyed photography, bicycling, traveling, camping, raising chickens, and four-wheeling with family and friends. He cycled 55 miles on his 55th birthday and always loved working on the land. He knew that the land he lived on was a gift from God and he took his responsibility to care for it very seriously. He planted thousands of trees, kept them trimmed and cared for, managed the waterways, and cared for the animals living on the land. Except for the wild hogs. He did not love the hogs! He loved to sit out on the back patio and watch the squirrels, deer, rabbits, and birds. He made trails through the land and enjoyed riding the trails and maintaining them.
Summers was an active member of A. Frank Smith Methodist Church and sang in the choir there for many years. He loved watching Alto High School football games and also loved watching any sporting or musical event involving the people he loved. He enjoyed going to the gym for exercise and therapy and always had a fun time with the people around him whether he was in the hospital, at home, in the choir loft, or traveling. Summers had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh. He was "Pop" to son, Kevin, a loving "Papa" to his grandsons, and a loving "Unky" to his nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his father, William Jesse Hassell, his mother, Amy Audral Wallace Hassell, his mother-in-law, Mary Brunette Page, and his brother-in-law, Charles Lester Page. He is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Marcia Eileen Page Hassell, his son Kevin (Lauren) Hassell, grandsons Ryan Jesse and Brady Connor Hassell. He also leaves behind nieces Melody (Lauri Laufman) Page, Connie (Mark) Miserak, and Polly (Andrew) Lowery, nephews Jake (Meagan) Miserak and their son Miles, Jantzen (Ariana) Miserak and their daughter Emerson Summers, Jace Miserak, Luke Lowery, Logan Lowery, and the entire Randy Low family. He is also survived by his many friends and relatives in the Alto community.
The family wishes to thank the entire staff at The Arbors Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Rusk, Texas. Their loving care of Summers (Papa) was a true testament to their kind hearts and devotion to their profession. They became family to Summers and Marcia over the past year...such a blessing to them and to the whole family.
In lieu of flowers, the family recommends memorial donations be made to A. Frank Smith Methodist Church in Alto.
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