Nancy Marie Summers

Nancy Summers was not a person that allowed adversity to stop her, when she was committed to something she saw it through. She was born on December 19. 1947 to Elfrieda Stelting and Paul Horton in Toppinish, Yakima WA. She had been through many difficult things in her life, but continued to persevere and accomplish many great things in her life. In 1962 she married, Henry Robert DiVergigelis to escape the difficulties of her life, she had two children with him, Robert and Susan, prior to his death. In 1965, she met and married James Russell Summers, having four children, Sharon, Patrick, Santford and Steven.

Nancy decided in the late eighties that she needed to back to school, so that she could what she wanted, be a teacher, educate the young minds of tomorrow. She went to San Bernardino Adult School completing her GED and enrolling in classes at San Bernardino Valley College, she was on her first steps to be a teacher. At San Bernardino Valley College, she met a Geography teacher, Mr. Peterson, that inspired her in her education, eventually getting a minor in Geography. Her passion was still education, using her grandchildren as studies for her education classes. She graduated in 1992 with a degree in Liberal Studies, ready to start moving forward to getting her teaching credential. Upon completion of her teaching credential she worked for a year in SBCUSD, although it was demanding, she loved working with her fourth grade class. When the principal of school told that education was not the right fit for her she was devastated. She looked around for other jobs, but returned to education, teaching at a Catholic school in Banning. She honed her craft as teacher, perfecting the needed skills and pedagogy needed to be a better teacher. Being pushed out the door, by her daughter to attend a job fair at CSUSB, she was hired on the spot by Jurupa Unified, being a proud staff member of Ina Arbuckle, until her retirement. Even in retirement she continued to be a teacher working with grandchildren to assist them in being better students.

She suffered many health conditions in her life, she did not allow that to stop her. In retirement her health continued to suffer, she continued to deal with her heart issues and issues with her diabetes her mind was still strong. It was difficult to see her struggle to get her thoughts out, it seemed that her voice did not want work with brain. She was and always be remembered as a strong woman and mother that did not allow anything to stop her, and as an educator who cared for the education and wellbeing of all her students.