Jack L. Sommers
1917 - 2007
VETERAN
Jack L. Sommers, 90, of Missoula, Montana, passed away Tuesday, November 27, 2007, at St. Patrick Hospital after a courageous battle with lung cancer. He was born September 24, 1917, in Twin Bridges, Montana, to Fred and Gertrude Sommers.
Jack entered the U.S. Navy in January 1941. He was a chief machinist mate on the USS Sturtevent until it was sunk by a mine, and was then assigned to the USS Meade for the rest of his duty. After serving his country during World War II in the North Atlantic and then the South Pacific, he was honorably discharged on Dec. 7, 1946.
On Aug. 22, 1944, he married Regina (Jean) Rebish in Butte. Born to the couple were two children, Brenda and Joe. While serving in the Navy, Jack attended Ford Trade School in Michigan, where he earned his plumbing certificate. He returned to Montana to work as a plumber for the City of Dillon for a couple years until he joined in the construction of Fort Peck Dam in central Montana. In 1951, Jack went to work at Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs, where he was eventually promoted to plumbing superintendent. In June of 1970, after working at Warm Springs for almost 19 years, Jack started a second career working as a pipefitter on large construction projects, including the power-generating plant in Colstrip. He finally retired from construction in 1985 at the age of 68. After moving from Warm Springs, Jack and Jean resided on Alder Street in Anaconda until moving to Missoula in July of 1999 to be near their daughter. In October of 2000, they moved to Grizzly Peak Retirement Center where Jean continues to reside.
Jack was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Masonic Lodge, Elks Lodge, Disabled Veterans, the Couties, and Plumbers & Fitters Local No. 41. He was a Past Exalted Ruler of the Elks Lodge in Deer Lodge. His hobbies were gun smithing, hunting, fishing and bowling.
He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers and a half-sister. He is survived by his wife, Jean; daughter, Brenda Rankin of Missoula; son and daughter-in-law, Joe and Sherrie Sommers of Shingle Springs, Calif.; granddaughter, Lindy and great-granddaughter, Lyri of Anaconda; sisters-in-law, Mary Jo Miller of Anaconda, Esther Joslin of Boise, Idaho; several nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, and a special niece, Diane (Spook) Klemann of Billings.
Cremation has taken place. There will be no immediate services. Because Jack's Naval Service meant so much to him, his ashes will be interned in the new Missoula Veterans' Cemetery when it is completed next year.
1917 - 2007
VETERAN
Jack L. Sommers, 90, of Missoula, Montana, passed away Tuesday, November 27, 2007, at St. Patrick Hospital after a courageous battle with lung cancer. He was born September 24, 1917, in Twin Bridges, Montana, to Fred and Gertrude Sommers.
Jack entered the U.S. Navy in January 1941. He was a chief machinist mate on the USS Sturtevent until it was sunk by a mine, and was then assigned to the USS Meade for the rest of his duty. After serving his country during World War II in the North Atlantic and then the South Pacific, he was honorably discharged on Dec. 7, 1946.
On Aug. 22, 1944, he married Regina (Jean) Rebish in Butte. Born to the couple were two children, Brenda and Joe. While serving in the Navy, Jack attended Ford Trade School in Michigan, where he earned his plumbing certificate. He returned to Montana to work as a plumber for the City of Dillon for a couple years until he joined in the construction of Fort Peck Dam in central Montana. In 1951, Jack went to work at Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs, where he was eventually promoted to plumbing superintendent. In June of 1970, after working at Warm Springs for almost 19 years, Jack started a second career working as a pipefitter on large construction projects, including the power-generating plant in Colstrip. He finally retired from construction in 1985 at the age of 68. After moving from Warm Springs, Jack and Jean resided on Alder Street in Anaconda until moving to Missoula in July of 1999 to be near their daughter. In October of 2000, they moved to Grizzly Peak Retirement Center where Jean continues to reside.
Jack was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Masonic Lodge, Elks Lodge, Disabled Veterans, the Couties, and Plumbers & Fitters Local No. 41. He was a Past Exalted Ruler of the Elks Lodge in Deer Lodge. His hobbies were gun smithing, hunting, fishing and bowling.
He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers and a half-sister. He is survived by his wife, Jean; daughter, Brenda Rankin of Missoula; son and daughter-in-law, Joe and Sherrie Sommers of Shingle Springs, Calif.; granddaughter, Lindy and great-granddaughter, Lyri of Anaconda; sisters-in-law, Mary Jo Miller of Anaconda, Esther Joslin of Boise, Idaho; several nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, and a special niece, Diane (Spook) Klemann of Billings.
Cremation has taken place. There will be no immediate services. Because Jack's Naval Service meant so much to him, his ashes will be interned in the new Missoula Veterans' Cemetery when it is completed next year.
Jack L. Sommers
1917 - 2007
VETERAN
Jack L. Sommers, 90, of Missoula, Montana, passed away Tuesday, November 27, 2007, at St. Patrick Hospital after a courageous battle with lung cancer. He was born September 24, 1917, in Twin Bridges, Montana, to Fred and Gertrude Sommers.
Jack entered the U.S. Navy in January 1941. He was a chief machinist mate on the USS Sturtevent until it was sunk by a mine, and was then assigned to the USS Meade for the rest of his duty. After serving his country during World War II in the North Atlantic and then the South Pacific, he was honorably discharged on Dec. 7, 1946.
On Aug. 22, 1944, he married Regina (Jean) Rebish in Butte. Born to the couple were two children, Brenda and Joe. While serving in the Navy, Jack attended Ford Trade School in Michigan, where he earned his plumbing certificate. He returned to Montana to work as a plumber for the City of Dillon for a couple years until he joined in the construction of Fort Peck Dam in central Montana. In 1951, Jack went to work at Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs, where he was eventually promoted to plumbing superintendent. In June of 1970, after working at Warm Springs for almost 19 years, Jack started a second career working as a pipefitter on large construction projects, including the power-generating plant in Colstrip. He finally retired from construction in 1985 at the age of 68. After moving from Warm Springs, Jack and Jean resided on Alder Street in Anaconda until moving to Missoula in July of 1999 to be near their daughter. In October of 2000, they moved to Grizzly Peak Retirement Center where Jean continues to reside.
Jack was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Masonic Lodge, Elks Lodge, Disabled Veterans, the Couties, and Plumbers & Fitters Local No. 41. He was a Past Exalted Ruler of the Elks Lodge in Deer Lodge. His hobbies were gun smithing, hunting, fishing and bowling.
He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers and a half-sister. He is survived by his wife, Jean; daughter, Brenda Rankin of Missoula; son and daughter-in-law, Joe and Sherrie Sommers of Shingle Springs, Calif.; granddaughter, Lindy and great-granddaughter, Lyri of Anaconda; sisters-in-law, Mary Jo Miller of Anaconda, Esther Joslin of Boise, Idaho; several nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, and a special niece, Diane (Spook) Klemann of Billings.
Cremation has taken place. There will be no immediate services. Because Jack's Naval Service meant so much to him, his ashes will be interned in the new Missoula Veterans' Cemetery when it is completed next year.
1917 - 2007
VETERAN
Jack L. Sommers, 90, of Missoula, Montana, passed away Tuesday, November 27, 2007, at St. Patrick Hospital after a courageous battle with lung cancer. He was born September 24, 1917, in Twin Bridges, Montana, to Fred and Gertrude Sommers.
Jack entered the U.S. Navy in January 1941. He was a chief machinist mate on the USS Sturtevent until it was sunk by a mine, and was then assigned to the USS Meade for the rest of his duty. After serving his country during World War II in the North Atlantic and then the South Pacific, he was honorably discharged on Dec. 7, 1946.
On Aug. 22, 1944, he married Regina (Jean) Rebish in Butte. Born to the couple were two children, Brenda and Joe. While serving in the Navy, Jack attended Ford Trade School in Michigan, where he earned his plumbing certificate. He returned to Montana to work as a plumber for the City of Dillon for a couple years until he joined in the construction of Fort Peck Dam in central Montana. In 1951, Jack went to work at Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs, where he was eventually promoted to plumbing superintendent. In June of 1970, after working at Warm Springs for almost 19 years, Jack started a second career working as a pipefitter on large construction projects, including the power-generating plant in Colstrip. He finally retired from construction in 1985 at the age of 68. After moving from Warm Springs, Jack and Jean resided on Alder Street in Anaconda until moving to Missoula in July of 1999 to be near their daughter. In October of 2000, they moved to Grizzly Peak Retirement Center where Jean continues to reside.
Jack was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Masonic Lodge, Elks Lodge, Disabled Veterans, the Couties, and Plumbers & Fitters Local No. 41. He was a Past Exalted Ruler of the Elks Lodge in Deer Lodge. His hobbies were gun smithing, hunting, fishing and bowling.
He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers and a half-sister. He is survived by his wife, Jean; daughter, Brenda Rankin of Missoula; son and daughter-in-law, Joe and Sherrie Sommers of Shingle Springs, Calif.; granddaughter, Lindy and great-granddaughter, Lyri of Anaconda; sisters-in-law, Mary Jo Miller of Anaconda, Esther Joslin of Boise, Idaho; several nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, and a special niece, Diane (Spook) Klemann of Billings.
Cremation has taken place. There will be no immediate services. Because Jack's Naval Service meant so much to him, his ashes will be interned in the new Missoula Veterans' Cemetery when it is completed next year.
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