C. Louis Sommers

April 13, 2014

C. Louis Sommers, age 87, of Brownstown, passed away at 7:40 p.m. Sunday, April 13, 2014, at Hoosier Christian Village, Brownstown. Louis was a member of Brownstown Christian Church, where he had served as a deacon and Sunday school teacher. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving from 1945 through 1946. He graduated from Brownstown High School in 1944 and continued his education at Indiana Central College, Indianapolis, from which he graduated in 1950. He received his Master of Science degree in education from Indiana University, and he taught in the Brownstown Central Community Schools system for 54 years. He served in numerous positions at Brownstown Central, including teacher, coach, assistant principal and athletics director. He was elected to the Brownstown Central High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010. He served as boys junior varsity basketball coach from 1950 to 1974, boys head golf coach from 1964 to 1983, girls head golf coach from 1987 to 2002, and girls head basketball coach from 1989 to 1992. He started the boy's and girl's golf programs, the girl's cross-country program and the junior high golf program. His dedication to the golf program at Brownstown Central resulted in the production of one Indiana State Individual Golf Champion, two Indiana State Individual Golf Runners-up, and two Fred Kessling Mental Attitude Award winners. He was also named the Mid-Southern Conference Golf Coach of the Year on four separate occasions. Louis served with the Brownstown Lions Club for 27 years, which included two years as the club's president; was a member of the Jackson County Retired Teachers Association, including two years as president; served with the Indiana State Athletic Directors Association for eight years; served the Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association and received the Charles T. Mass Distinguished Service Award District V; and served on the board of directors of the Jackson County Juvenile Home, and served two years as the organization's president and was a longtime tutor. In addition, he was a founding member and served on the board of directors of the Hickory Hills Golf Club, where he was club champion for two years. He served as festival parade marshal of the Brownstown Melonfest in 2004; served on the Schneck Medical Center Foundation board of directors as well as served as a Schneck Medical Center volunteer. Born on July 27, 1926, in Brownstown, he was the son of the late George Sommers and Essie Hurley Sommers. In 1947, he married Helen Suzanne King, who preceded in death in 1995. He married Darlene Nierman Grant in 1997, who survives in Brownstown. Other survivors include his children, Gale (Ann) Sommers of Falls Church, Virginia; Mark (Joyce) Sommers and Brian Sommers, both of Brownstown; a brother, David (Sue) Sommers of Brownstown; seven grandchildren, Megan S. Sommers, Lauren Sommers, Kristin Sommers, Chad Sommers, Amie Sommers Coop, Kyle Sommers and Emily Sommers; and six great-grandchildren, Colin Coop, Regan Coop, Max Sommers, Lela Sommers, Tori Lokey and Chayse Shell. In addition to his parents and first wife, Helen, two brothers, Henry and Donald Sommers, and a sister, Catherine Sommers, preceded him in death. A funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday at Spurgeon Funeral Home Inc., Brownstown, with the Rev. Gary Morning officiating. Interment will follow at Fairview Cemetery, Brownstown, with full military graveside rites by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1925, American Legion Post 89, Disabled American Veterans Post 47, and Korea and Vietnam Veterans Post 7, all of Seymour. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and from 10 a.m. until time of service Thursday at the funeral home. Memorials may be written to the C. Louis Sommers Foundation.