Jean Laraway Summers

Passed away on September 22, 2013. She was born in Catskill, New York to Mace and Frances Weed Laraway. Jean has been a resident of Albuquerque since 1927, when her family moved from New York to Albuquerque because her father had tuberculosis. Jean was preceded in death by her husband, James (Jim) Summers; her twin sister, Joan Crawford; and her nephews, William Ross and Willy Wise. Jean is survived by her daughters, Jan Lewis and husband, Donald Lewis and Judi von Gaia and partner, Val Stepien; grandchildren Kendra Hensley and husband, Michael Hensley; Kelsey Chiotti and husband, David Chiotti; and Brandon Stepien; great-grandchildren Cameron Chiotti and Caiden Chiotti; niece Jeanette Attaway and husband, Robert Attaway; nephew’s wife, Regina Wise, and her children, Thurman Wise and Jaymee Wise. Jean attended grade school in Albuquerque and was in the first class of the former Sandia School for Girls, which is now Sandia Preparatory School. She attended junior high in Syracuse, New York and high school in New Mexico and Florida, graduating from St. Petersburg High in 1937. Jean graduated from UNM in 1941. She sang in the University Quartet and was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority. After graduation, she and her sister, Joan, were owners of the Electronic Amusement Company in Albuquerque. Jean also acted in dramatic shows on KGGM and was written up as the First Lady Announcer of the Southwest. She was an announcer on KOB in 1943 and later on KOA, KMYA and KLZ in Denver, Colorado. Jean married Jim Summers in 1945. He was a captain in the Air Force and served in the Pacific in World War II. After his tour of duty, they lived in San Antonio, Texas; Sacramento and Riverside, California; and Denver, Colorado before returning to Albuquerque where they raised their family. Jim was a CPA with Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. and a past president of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce. Jean was a member of the Albuquerque County Club, Women’s Golf Association, Petroleum Club and Daughters of the Nile. She was an avid golfer, and she began competitive dancing at the age of 70. She won many awards in both golf and dancing. Visitation will be held on Friday, September 27, 2013 from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m at FRENCH – University. Services will be held on Saturday, September 28, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. at Central United Methodist Church, 1615 Copper Ave. NE. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Park, 924 Menaul Blvd. NE. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Central United Methodist Church, Ballut Abyad Transportation Fund, 6600 Zuni SE, Albuquerque, NM, the Salvation Army, www.salvationarmyusa.org or to a charity of your choice.

Jean Laraway Summers

December 25, 1919 - September 22, 2013