Posted on 07/08/2004 7:49:07 AM PDT by Mudboy Slim
Greg Summers (aka Sultan88) paased away this morning in a Petersburg, Virginia hospital. He's been sick for some time, but this news came as a total shock to me.
Greg was a kind, gentle man, who had a passion for all things that make America great...I am honored to consider him a good FRiend and he will be greatly missed by myself and all those who got to know his wisdom and sense of humor on FR.com. This is simply devastating news!!
My prayers go out to his family, including his son who we've come to know as 'yankhater" around here.
Sad FReegards...MUD
I am fairly new to this site, and I didn't know the
Sultan, but I can see he was truly respected and will be missed.
Prayers to his family and loved ones.
I am very sorry for your loss.
To All,
My sincerest and most heartfelt thanks to each and evry one of you for your wonderful tribute to my father and kind words to myself and my family during this difficult time.
My father passed away at 1:15 AM on July 8. I came home early that day around 6:00 PM. I was there when my father blacked out and called the ambulance. My father died of heart failure. He had been born with a serious heart defect...basically the heart was enlarged and its arteries were reversed. When he was 9 years old this small boy from rural Pennsylvania had open heart surgery at a country hospital. The number one pediatric cardiologist in the nation at the time was brought in and they did what they could. We later learned that his chances were slim at the time and yet he lived another 47 years. In 1993 he had an infection and endocarditis which eventually over he past decade took a toll on his kidneys. Once again the Grace of God and a team of expert physicians gave him another 10 years when once again his chances were slim. Over the past year he has been on dialysis which took a toll on his energy, blood pressure and heart. Ultimately one problem after another compounded eventually stopping his heart.
I am glad that at least we had one more conversation for 20 minutes before he blacked out. We talked of baseball, history, politics, and movies...our favorite subjects. Thinking about it now...he had been hinting to me that he would not last long. I feel as if he was waiting for me to come home so we could have one last chat.
This has by far been the saddest day of my entire life. While I rejoice that he is in a better place right now...it it painful beyond words to describe the way I feel. I did not just lose my father...I lost my best friend and hero.
I know many of you knew my father either personally or via the world wide web. He thought very highly of all his FRiends here. Many of you knew the kind of man he was and how loving and honorable he was.
He was a man who was always there for me...when I was on the pitching mound with the game on the line I could always glance to see him sitting in the stands...whether I won or lost he was just happy to see me play the game he loved so deerly but could never play himself due to illness...he was a father I could talk to man to man...as a dad or as a friend....he was a mentor...he was the man who taught me values, integrity, honor and respect.
He loved politics...he loved his country and loved to jab at the lefties who tried to bring it down...he was very much in personality like his hero Ronald Reagan....While he would decry the hypocrcisy of the Welfare State...he was a man I saw buying dirty used hats for 25 cents from a homeless man because he knew it kept that man coming to our church services every week. He was a man that decried the phoney racial politics of Jesse Jackson...but would not tolerate the hatred of a man's skin color...a man who kept his house in the same neighborhood when we became the only white family on the street.
He was a leader who led by example....he once in fact jokingly refered to his profession as a leader of men....but I never thought it a joke.
He taught me the very meaning of quiet courage...He never complained in public and rarely in private of his many illnesses...we will never really know how sick he really felt. But it never stopped him from talking about the latest Oakland A's loss or John Kerry flip flop, or reminding me to pay my bills...in fact even at his sickest he always made time in the day to talk to me...even having to sit through all those history lessons of mine.
He is the man who made me the man I am today...And if I am half the man he was...I consider myself fortunate.
For those in the area the funeral service and visitation will both be held at E.Alvin Small Funeral Home....3935 South Crater Road in Petersburg, VA. Viewing will be on Friday 7-9:30 PM and the funeral Saturday at 11:00 AM.
I thank you for your thoughts and prayers for my family.
Mark Summers
Mark, thank you for sharing on the thread. And thank you for sharing your dad with us.
You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.
Rest in the thought that your Dad is in the presence of his Savior. And for the Sultan, there is no more pain, no more suffering, and there are no more tears.
God bless.
Thank you Mark.
Your dad, was such a special man.
You are right to feel very proud of him.
I still can't believe he's gone.
Your loss is immeasurable.
God bless.
bttt
My prayers for his family's loss.
I Was Just Escorted Out of Fahrenheit 9-11
Posted by sultan88 to My Favorite Headache; Landru
On The Smokey Backroom 07/03/2004 9:49:24 PM EDT #113 of 1,300
I think this movie may be the reason I had my "near" heart attack last week. And I didn't even go to see it. You got lots of guts!! Proud of you for your rant!>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
RIP SULTAN...RIP
Prayers for the family.
I am spechless.
Your dad and me have only been friends for about 5 years, but I feel I knew him for a lifetime. Thats the way he was.
Please, be proud of your father. He touched our hearts in more than sports activities. He was just a class guy.
He was cool, a very even personality.
When I got a message from him I read every word. When the Sultan spoke, I listened.
This is a sad night for me and I am sure it is for you.
Let me put it in perspective though. I met a wonderfun man on the internet. I played with him in games and some feedback from his views.
You had a great father yankhater. God Bless His Soul.
How old was he?
I always liked that one too, and I needed a new tagline, so I think I'll use it in Sultan's honor.
Never mind my previous question.
I met Greg on several occasions in Oxford, Mississippi when Mark and I were at Ole Miss. And it seemed like everytime he would come visit he had another nice piece of Red Sox memorabilia for me. He gave me autograph photos of Nomah and other players, and valuable Red Sox baseball cards. All that stuff I still have with me. I have just been thinking of all the kind things he did for me when he did not have to give me anything.
We talked about politics, sports, usually baseball. Usually it wasn't long before Buckner's name came up...hahaha. He was up and in command of all the political issues past and present. He sent me scores of political updates and dispatches from around the country.
Greg Summers was just really kind and giving that way. I feel so sad for Mark and his Mother of course. Often times people praise and say things about people after they are gone that are embelished or dressed up. Not in this case at all, everything said on here today is 100% true.
I join with all the others here lifting up his loved ones to God for His blessings and peace!
I'm so sorry to hear of your father's passing, you and yours be in my prayers. May God bring comfort and peace to your family and friends.
Actually, his obit was in today's paper and Greg was only 56...his dad is still alive up in PA...MUD
"Gregory R. Summers, 56, of Petersburg, died Thursday, July 8, 2004 at Southside Regional Medical Center, Petersburg. He was a native of Troy, Pa. and the son of the late Susette Day Summers. Mr. Summers was a member of Tabb St. Presbyterian Church for 25 years and for the past year, was a member of a home- based fellowship ministry. He was a retired computer specialist supervisor at Fort Lee. He is survived by his wife, Gloria J. Summers; a daughter and son-in-law, Shari L. and Jason E. Moore of Chester; a son, Mark A. Summers of Petersburg; father, Ralph R. Summers of Canton, Pa.; three brothers, Gary A. Summers of Williamsport, Pa., Graham D. Summers of Leesburg, Fla. and Gene R. Summers; a sister, Gail A. Heysham, both of Canton, Pa.; a grandson, Nathan Moore of Chester. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, July 10, 2004 in the Petersburg Chapel of the E. Alvin Small Funeral Home & Crematory, 3935 S. Crater Rd. The Rev. Robert Withers will officiate. The interment will be in Southlawn Memorial Park, Prince George. The family will receive friends tonight from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the National Kidney Foundation, the American Heart Association or the Southside Virginia Emergency Crew."
56 is way too early to lose a man as good as the Sultan...MUD
Thanks for posting that. I remember your thread, but missed his post there. What a guy.
Yep...MUD
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