Norma Summers

Norma Jean Holben was born April 18, 1930, the daughter of Francis Edwin and Cleo Mae (Hawes) Holben near Logan, Iowa, and passed away January 12, 2014, at her home in Atlantic, Iowa.

She lived on a farm near Logan until 1937 when she moved into Logan. She graduated from the Logan High School in 1947. After graduation, Norma worked at the Logan Creamery as the office manager until April of 1950. On May 1, 1950, she went to work in Washington D.C. at the Treasury Department. She also worked at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Health, Education and Welfare Department (HEW).

She was married to Clarence Summers on March 25, 1951, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Logan, Iowa. Clarence was inducted into the Army in February of 1952, and discharged in February 1954. While he was serving in the Army during the Korean War, Norma moved back to Council Bluffs, IA, working at Offutt Air Force Base near Omaha, NE. She later went to work at Master Furniture in Council Bluffs, IA, until Clarence was discharged from the Army. The couple then returned to Washington D.C. and worked for the Federal Government until the summer of 1955. They moved back to Logan where she worked for Schemmer Quarry as their bookkeeper. In October of 1960, they moved to Atlantic where Clarence opened the first branch of Home Federal Savings and Loan Association.

Norma and Clarence enjoyed traveling to all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Austria, Denmark and the Caribbean. She enjoyed camping, fishing and spending time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Atlantic.


She was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence Summers; her parents; two infant children; and her son-in-law, Ralph LeMay.

Norma is survived by her children, Vicki LeMay of Pella, IA, Diane (Mike) Leslie of Shelby, IA and David (Shelly) Summers of Iowa City, IA. She is also survived by nine grandchildren, three step-grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and eight step-great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, January 17, 2014, at Zion Lutheran Church in Atlantic, Iowa.

There will be no formal visitation but family will greet friends for refreshments in the church fellowship hall following the service.

Memorials may be made to the Mayo Clinic or the Wounded Warrior Project.