John Summers was a founder of Somers Point American Legion
By ELIZABETH LITTLE/Sentinel staff
NORTHFIELD — World War II U.S. Army veteran John Summers was honored Friday at Meadowview Nursing Home for turning 100 years old.
The celebration consisted of a car parade with a visit from the Northfield police and fire departments and the American Legion Riders from Post 352 in Somers Point.
Friends, family, other veterans and members of Absecon VFW Post 9462 and American Legion Post 295 gathered outside the nursing home to celebrate and give Summers their well wishes.
The event was organized by the nursing home and the veterans, but County Executive Dennis Levinson made an appearance and had a surprise for the guests.
“This is most certainly a better day in the commander’s life,” Levinson said. “Besides reaching 100, he is an extraordinary individual who has given so much of himself to others throughout his life, especially to our beloved country. Because of that, Atlantic County salutes John Summers by making this John Summers Day in all of Atlantic County.”
Levinson presented a framed declaration to Summers as his friends and family gathered around applauding.
“Why don’t we make a commitment while we’re all here? Every year we’ll do this,” Levinson suggested.
Summers’ granddaughters Lee Walsh and Lynn Funk shared stories and tidbits of Summers’ life thus far.
“It’s pretty awesome because last year we weren’t able to see him anyways. I knew he was going to make it to 100,” Funk said.
She described Summers’ career in the Army, saying he was part of the Army Air Corps before it was renamed the Air Force in 1941. Funk said Summers suffered a bad injury while serving.
“An engine fell on him. He was honorably discharged, because they didn’t think he would walk again,” Funk said. “He broke his back.”
But the injury did not deter Summers from living his life dedicated to service.
Summers was born in Philadelphia and moved to Somers Point in the 1950s, Funk said.
“He was one of the founding members of the Somers Point American Legion,” Funk said. “If you go into the legion hall, you’ll see his picture right there.”
The sisters said some of their favorite memories with Summers are having their weekly Sunday dinners, holidays and “sleepovers at grandmom and grandpop’s.”
“You know, it’s a milestone for sure. For whatever the reasons are, 100 is more important than 101. That old adage ‘the good die young’ does not apply here because he’s a good man,” Levinson said.
Summers is a man of few words, but he did say that the celebration was “perfect.”
