James Alexander “Alex” Summers ’52 – Davidson College

James Alexander “Alex” Summers age 88, died peacefully at his residence on the morning of August 16 from complications from lymphoma.

He was born on Valentines’s day 1930 in Johnson City, Tennessee to Frank Mountcastle Summers and Margaret Catherine Copenhaver Summers.

He graduated from Science Hill High School in Johnson City. In 1952 he earned a degree in math and physics from Davidson College where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity.

Following college he served in the Army Chemical Corps, including one year in Korea during the war. He was honorably discharged as a first lieutenant. He came to Atlanta to earn a Masters in Architecture at Georgia Tech in 1957. During this period he worked for several architecture firms including FABRAP and Heery & Heery.

In 1964 he and James Earl Warner opened the firm of Warner& Summers Inc. for the practice of architecture. Their specialty was school buildings, branch banks, industrial and retail buildings. In 1993 they sold the firm to the junior partners who have continued the practice. Alex married Kathleen (Kay) McCaskill Richards on August 4, 1962.

With their shared interest in the arts, Alex was a great patron of the arts in Atlanta but an even greater supporter of Kay’s artistic endeavors. He was a devoted father to their three children, Frank, Kathleen and Margaret. Alex was very active in the community life of their neighborhood, Brookwood Hills, and was successful in establishing a nature preserve.

He was passionate about the beauty of our environment, advocating for the protection of it and wildlife. Though he claimed no musical talents he was a great patron of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus as well as the Atlanta Opera and shared much of his time with the High Museum of Art.

A lifetime Presbyterian, he and Kay were members of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta.

He is survived by his wife Kay, and children, Frank Mountcastle Summers, Kathleen McCaskill Summers and Margaret Kathryn Summers and Ernest Tyler Hueter.

A Celebration of his life will be held Wednesday, August 22 at 11 am at Trinity Presbyterian Church 3003 Howell Mill Road N W, Atlanta 30327.

Donations in his memory may be made to the Music Fund of Trinity Presbyterian Church or the Winship Cancer Institute for cancer research. Office of Gift Records, Emory University, 1762 Clifton Road NE Suite 1400, Atlanta, Ga 30322-1710.