The Life of Don Summers

Donald B. Summers, 68, of Mercer Island, died March 19 in Da Nang, Vietnam, while on a teaching visit to Duy Tan University. He had undergone surgery to remove a malignant brain tumor last November, and he and his wife Linda decided that they would spend his final days doing things he loved, spending time with family and friends, and working with students. He appreciated that DTU wanted him to teach again this month and revised his class load to accommodate him. He was born in Highland Park, Mich. in 1943, and earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and a master’s and doctorate from Boston University. He was an adjunct professor at Babson College, Bentley College, and Suffolk College in Boston. An early career highlight was six months spent serving as a project manager for the Grace Commission in Washington, DC, examining ways the Department of Education could operate more effectively. He was the head of human resources at Del Med, a medical technology firm in Boston and held numerous positions at Bank of Boston. He received an award from NASA for a project he did for the space agency.Whether he was working with clients or students, volunteering, spending time with family or on one of his many outdoor adventures with friends, Don was never without his sarcastic, unpredictable and not always easily understood sense of humor. He loved to laugh at himself and tease others and he believed that all the challenges of life were more manageable when approached with a light touch. Don came to Seattle with his wife and daughters Emily and Cailen in 1985 to serve as senior vice president and head of human resources and social policy at Rainier Bank. He left Security Pacific Bank, Rainier Bank’s successor, in 1990 to form The Meridian Consulting Group, which helped organizations of all sizes manage change. In recent years, Don pursued his lifelong passion for academics and taught undergraduate and graduate classes in business (with a focus on business ethics) at Seattle University and Seattle Pacfic University. He also served as visiting faculty in management at UW Tacoma in 2006-2007. He was selected as the SPU School of Business and Economics Adjunct Teacher of the Year for 2005-2006 and received the Dean’s Award in 2007-2008. Most recently, he was a clinical Professor at SPU and lead on the Social Venture Planning Competition. The project at Duy Tan University was an international version of the Social Venture Planning Competition.When the Summers family moved to Seattle he announced that he intended to take full advantage of the many outdoor activities available here. He became an avid cyclist and completed most of the major Northwest rides, including STP in one day and Ramrod (Ride around Mount Rainier in One Day). He developed a strong interest in climbing and made it to the top of all the major Northwest peaks including numerous assents of Mount Rainier, as well as Mount Whitney in California. He also climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and was an avid hiker and snowshoer. Don served as president of the Mercer Island Boys and Girls Club in 2002 and 2003, and was a board member for 13 years. During his tenure he led the organization in a strategic planning process that resulted in a fund raising e° ort to build a new facility. He also served on the strategic planning committee for the Mercer Island Schools.Don’s survivors include his wife, Linda, daughter Emily, of Mercer Island, and daughter Cailen and her husband, Zachary Hearn, serving in the U.S. Navy. He is also survived by a sister Hazel Graham of Highland Village, Texas, brother Thomas of Columbus, Ohio, and sister-in-law Lois Miller of Colorado Springs, Colo. He was preceded in death by his brother Harlan. He also leaves numerous nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews, all of whom have special stories of the teasing, guidance and support they received from “Uncle Don.”A celebration of his life is being planned for 1:00 p.m. on April 28th at the Boys and Girls Club at 4120 86th Ave. SE, Mercer Island, WA 98040. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the Donald Summers Memorial Scholarship Fund being established for Duy Tan University, or the Social Venture Contest Awards Fund at SPU.