Roy Addison Sommers

Roy Addison Sommers, age 93, of Winston-Salem died Saturday, April 20, 2013. He was born April 16, 1920, in Washington, D.C. to Mary Elsie Matthews Sommers and her late husband, Roy Addison Sommers. He was working as an office secretary, accountant, and Notary Public for the Richmond branch office of Gallagher Limited, a British tobacco company, when the Pearl Harbor attack occurred December 7, 1941. He began his military service March 2, 1942 as an aviation student. He was appointed Flight Officer April 24, 1943 and was appointed Second Lieutenant on October 22, 1943 and worked as a navigator. Later, he became an instructor in the night fighter training program in Boca Raton, Fla. He was appointed First Lieutenant June 22, 1945 and sent to the Pacific when Japan surrendered September 2, 1945. He returned stateside and was honorably discharged on July 27, 1946.After the war he attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute under the G.I. Bill of Rights, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering. His first work after graduating was as servicing engineer in loss prevention for Liberty Mutual Insurance Company at the Charlotte , N.C. office. He retired locally from Western Electric Company April 30, 1975 with over twenty-three years of service. After retirement he worked temporarily for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company as a technical services employee. He was a member of Highland Presbyterian Church for over fifty-nine years, 1954-2013, serving as usher, choir member, associate Sunday school superintendent and Deacon.He was preceded in death by his wife of nearly sixty years, Janey Bell Sommers, his sisters Mrs. Ruth Ann Sommers Holloway , Mrs. Mary Patricia Cooper Miller and brother, Jabe F. Cooper, Jr. He is survived by a number of nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held Wednesday, April 24, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at Highland Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Randy Harris officiating. Memorials may be made to Highland Presbyterian Church, 2380 Cloverdale Avenue, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27103. Online condolences may be made at www.hayworth-miller.com.

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