Martha Sue Brown Summerour of LaGrange, Georgia passed away on Monday, May 21, 2018, at her home, five years after being diagnosed with ocular melanoma, a rare and incurable cancer. She was 74.

Mrs. Summerour was a loving wife, a devoted mother, a doting grandmother and a dedicated Christian servant. She and her husband, the Rev. Larry H. Summerour, were celebrating 50 years of marriage this year. She was an accomplished pianist and organist, most recently playing at Advent Lutheran Church, Midway United Methodist Church and Mt. Zion United Methodist Church. She also loved spending time gardening and was a member of the Pine Needle Garden Club. In addition, she was a talented artist who created cherished paintings for each of her three children.

Mrs. Summerour was born on May 14, 1944, in Boonville, North Carolina to the late Edgar Ralph and Willena Fleming Brown. She grew up working on the family’s tobacco farm and attended Boonville High School. She went on to attend Greensboro College, where she earned a bachelor of arts degree with a double major in religion and music.

She met her husband after moving to Georgia to pursue a career in church and community work. In addition to playing piano and organ and leading a children’s choir at the various churches where her husband served, Mrs. Summerour always went out of her way to care for others. She selflessly cared for her mother-in-law for many years, and often reached out to people who were sick and in need. She always remembered family birthdays with thoughtful cards. An avid southern cook, she was known for her homemade yeast rolls, delicious chocolate pie, and other savory foods that she so graciously prepared for her family and shared with others.

Mrs. Summerour is survived by her husband and the love of her life, Larry; her three children, Susan (Charles) Middlebrooks of Pine Mountain, Georgia, Jennifer (Malcolm) McTaggart of Jackson Heights, New York , and John Summerour of Jackson Heights, New York; a precious granddaughter, Ella McTaggart; three brothers, Neal Brown, David Brown and Hugh Brown; and one sister-in-law, Brenda Brown. She was preceded in death by her parents, in-laws and two sisters-in-law. She will be greatly missed by her family, her dear friends and all those who knew her.

A memorial service will be held on June 9 at 3 p.m. at Advent Lutheran Church, 1416 Vernon Road, LaGrange, Georgia. Donations may be made in Mrs. Summerour’s memory to the Ocular Melanoma Foundation (www.ocularmelanoma.org) or the United Methodist Children’s Home in Tucker, Georgia (www.umchildrenshome.org).