Harold Francis “Pen” Sommer, 94, embarked on his voyage into eternity on December 29, 2018. He was born on November 25, 1924 in Bellevue, Iowa. Pen joined the United States Navy after high school and served in WWII. Most of his time was spent aboard his beloved USS PCE 873 in the Pacific Theater. After his discharge, he enrolled at the University of Iowa where he met the most wonderful woman in the world, Shirley Hein. They were married on September 3, 1949 at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport, IA. The couple moved to Los Angeles where Pen was the Advertising Production Manager for The Broadway Department Stores. Missing family and friends, they moved back to Davenport, Iowa. Pen worked as Staff Artist for the Davenport Times Democrat newspaper. After three years, he left and became the Creative and Production Advertising Manager for Farrell and Company in Des Moines. He spent the next twenty-one years at the Farrell agency, his last position as Vice President. While at Farrell, he founded the Artists and Art Directors Club of Iowa. In 1976, Pen opened his own advertising agency, Sommer & Associates, serving clients throughout the Midwest for over 25 years.
Pen truly loved the outdoors, especially enjoying camping, canoeing, fishing, and big game hunting in the western United States. He thoroughly enjoyed playing golf with his friends, having hit three holes-in-one. He and Shirley traveled extensively. Pen was the Scoutmaster for Troop 71 for twelve years, introducing hundreds of young men to camping, hiking, and outdoor skills. He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, St. Vincent DePaul, the Knights of Columbus, Izaak Walton League, the American Legion, and a life-time member of the University of Iowa Alumni Association.
He is preceded in death by Shirley, his wife of 68 years. Their marriage was blessed by a daughter, Michelle (Gordon) Roskamp; and sons, Michael (Darlene), Nicholas (Jeanne), and Kristopher (Karen); six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
The family would like to thank the staff at the Iowa Jewish Senior Life Center for their care and devotion to Pen.
Funeral Mass will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday, January 4, 2019 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with burial at Resthaven Cemetery. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until service time at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in Pen’s memory to Saint Vincent DePaul through Sacred Heart Catholic Church, or to the Iowa Jewish Senior Life Center.
