Mary Lea Summervill

Mary Lea Summervill, 96, died October 10, 2026 and is at home with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Born December 4, 1929, she carried with her the steady grace of a life shaped by devotion—to family, to faith, and to the everyday work of caring well for others.

Raised in the small Missouri town of Keytesville, Lea grew up in a house built before the war between the states, a beginning that rooted her in simplicity, resilience, and the enduring value of home. Those early years helped form the quiet strength and practical wisdom that would mark her life for decades to come.

Lea pursued her education at Northeast Missouri Teachers College from 1947 to 1951, earning a degree in Home Economics. She went on to share her knowledge and steady guidance as a Home Economics teacher at Curtis Intermediate and Truesdell Intermediate, bringing patience, skill, and purpose to the classroom and to the lives she touched through her work.

In June 1955, Lea married Glen Summervill, whom she met at the VFW on Topeka Street. They honeymooned at Table Rock Lake, driving to the bottom before it was filled—an early memory that captured the spirit of a young couple setting out together with curiosity and confidence in the road ahead.

Lea was a wonderful cook, known especially for preparing large holiday dinners that gathered family close and made room for laughter, stories, and tradition. She was also a talented seamstress who made much of her own clothing, as well as her son’s clothes—stitching care and attentiveness into the fabric of daily life, and offering a kind of love that could be seen and felt in the details.

Her faith and service were constant. Lea was a part of Central Christian Church from 1960 to 2026, and she gave her time and gifts through Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority, the Christian Women’s Club, and roles including prayer advisor, treasurer, and decoration committee—quietly strengthening the communities she belonged to with reliability, warmth, and a willingness to help wherever needed.

Above all, Lea loved being involved with her family, her grandkids, and her great grandkids. Her legacy lives in the gatherings she cherished, the meals she prepared, the hands-on care she offered, and the steady presence she provided—an enduring example of love expressed through faithfulness and family devotion.

Lea was preceded in death by her husband, Glen; mother, Nellie Odell Rains (Cavanah); her father, Overton Kendrick Rains; her brother, Noel; her sister, Dorothy; and her sister, Jean.

She is survived by her son, Scott (Christy); her son, Marc (Pam); her grandson, Christopher (Georgene); her granddaughter, Jacqualyn (Chad); her granddaughter, Laura; her granddaughter, Sarah; her grandson, Nick (Jennifer); her grandson, Jordan; and her great grandchildren, Adriana, Brileigh, and Kennedy.

There will be a Funeral Service November 7, 2026 at 11am at Central Christian Church, 2900 N Rock Rd, Wichita, KS 67226, with Burial to follow at 2pm at Resthaven Gardens of Memory, 11800 W. Hwy 54, Wichita, KS, 67209.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Central Christian Church.