Susan E. (Cross) Summer, 70, of Kutztown, died Thursday, October 14, 2021, in Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township.  She was the wife of Evan D. Summer.  They were married June 11, 1977.  Born in Chicago, she was a daughter of the late Frank M. and Elizabeth A. (Showalter) Cross.

Susan was a graduate of Harvard University where she received a B.A. in English; Yale University, where she received a M.Phil.; and The University of Pennsylvania where she received her J.D.

Susan began her professional career as a lawyer in Philadelphia. She left law soon after her second child was born. Over the following years, she worked as an extracurricular activities coordinator at a local elementary school and engaged in numerous volunteer activities, including her work with Meals on Wheels, New Journey Community Outreach, teaching ESL classes, and many others. She also worked to raise her four children and homeschooled Sam and Amy for 5 years during elementary and middle school. Susan was an incredible mom and teacher, roles that she enjoyed combining, as she introduced her children to literature, the arts, history, and countless hobbies that they would go on to enjoy.

Susan had many interests and hobbies. She loved to travel, and enjoyed remarkable trips to France, Scotland, Belgium, China, and across much of the United States. She loved classical literature and created book groups to foster this love. In addition to literature, she enjoyed both reading and writing poetry. This appreciation of writing was fueled by Susan's interests in language. She had an incredible vocabulary, enjoyed learning the etymology of words, and was working on learning Spanish with her beloved teacher, Oscar. In addition to the written arts, Susan enjoyed classical music and exploring the visual arts with her husband and kids.

Susan also described herself as a "lover of nature in all its forms."  She enjoyed going on walks and hikes, visiting state and national parks, and photographing the often overlooked beauties of the natural world. She had planned a trip to the old growth forests of central Pennsylvania later this month. Susan was known for pointing out striking cloud patterns and interesting clusters of fungi. She loved to photograph these often overlooked beauties of the natural world. You can enjoy her nature photography here: https://www.instagram.com/natureseldomseen/

In addition to her husband of 44 years, Evan, Susan is survived by her four children: Thomas M. Summer, Kutztown; Julie Ann E. Summer and fiance Bradley Schmitz, Myrtle Beach, SC; Amy E. Summer and partner Nathaniel Shils, Philadelphia; Samuel D. Summer, Seattle, WA.  Other survivors include two sisters, Ellen (Cross) Gindele and husband Edward Gindele, Rochester, NY; Rachel Cross, Boston, MA.

A memorial service for Susan will be held in the coming months. A date, time, and location will be announced here.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions in Susan's memory  be considered to:
Doctors Without Borders (https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/secure/donate)
New Journey Community Outreach of Reading, PA (https://www.njcoinc.org/donate)
or another community or socially oriented organization of your choice.

Mary Oliver was one of Susan's favorite poets. Please enjoy this poem.

This World

I would like to write a poem about the world that has in it
nothing fancy.
But it seems impossible.
Whatever the subject, the morning sun
glimmers it.
The tulip feels the heat and flaps its petals open and becomes a star.
The ants bore into the peony bud and there is a dark
pinprick well of sweetness.
As for the stones on the beach, forget it.
Each one could be set in gold.
So I tried with my eyes shut, but of course the birds
were singing.
And the aspen trees were shaking the sweetest music
out of their leaves.
And that was followed by, guess what, a momentous and
beautiful silence
as comes to all of us, in little earfuls, if we’re not too
hurried to hear it.
As for spiders, how the dew hangs in their webs
even if they say nothing, or seem to say nothing.
So fancy is the world, who knows, maybe they sing.
So fancy is the world, who knows, maybe the stars sing too,
and the ants, and the peonies, and the warm stones,
so happy to be where they are, on the beach, instead of being
locked up in gold.

by Mary Oliver

Ludwick Funeral Homes, Inc., Kutztown, is assisting the Summer family. Memories and condolences may be shared at www.ludwickfh.com.