Person:Olive Summach (1)

Olive Summach Eulogy (presented by her grandson)
Oct 19, 2013
When I heard the news that Olive, my grandmother, had died, I was speechless. It took what seemed like a long time just to wrap my head around what I was hearing. Certainly, my response had something to do with being startled awake by the phone; it was evening here [Saskatoon,] and North Carolina is a couple of time zones away. But still... the news was just so unlikely that I was caught completely off guard --

And that doesn't make much sense, does it? Olive was 91. Over the last several years, she had endured a succession of health problems and emergency hospitalizations. In fact, at the time of her passing, she was in the hospital, recovering from a hip replacement. But that's just it: she was recovering. The surgery had been successful. She was a recovery success story-in-the-making. Rehab staff and family were estimating when she'd be ready to return to her condo. So, I don't feel especially foolish for being caught by surprise by Olive's passing, because I suspect that she was a little bit surprised by it, too.

We called her "The Energizer Bunny." Where did that uncommon resilience come from? She bore up -- and even thrived -- under difficult, even heartbreaking circumstances: she was principal caregiver during the slow physical decline and passing of two sons; she adjusted to life without her husband, Harvey, living independently for the last 16 years; and in recent years she endured the loss of many close friends and family? Without question, the Holy Spirit was at work, lending Olive a remarkable measure of peace, patience, and faithfulness.

The Holy Spirit is at work in me, too -- but I don't know that many of you would single me out as especially peaceful or patient. You have to agree, Olive's resilience was exceptional. And as many of you have shared with me through your texts and emails, her resilience brings to mind the peace, patience, and faithfulness of Jesus. There just isn't any way to wear someone down who already considers their life forfeit – whose happiness is indexed to something other than their own interests and ambition.

What Olive loved to do, she loved because she could do it for us. From her sewing room and rocking chair, she invented stuffed dinosaurs and mice, computer dust covers, curtains, Cowichan sweaters, quilts, and custom dog warmers. She sewed fashion-forward outfits in stretch-polyester that, unfortunately, wore out very slowly.

In the kitchen, she had a gift for carbohydrates. You could starve to death on her hamburgers -- but the buns, chocolate cake, sugar cookies, and fried scones were another story. Clearly, only a small fraction of that baking ever made it to her own tea plate. Her stores of Christmas baking, laid down in the freezer or under the back stairs, never lasted as long as she expected; but she didn't try very hard to find better hiding places.

Caring for family was Olive's daily office: she bathed and diapered; scratched backs, soothed headaches, massaged feet, and prayed. And although she meant well, I learned as a boy to hide my cuts and scrapes from her, as her greatest joy was to pull out the Am-Medic antiseptic spray, which might as well have been liquid fire.

With that one possible exception, Olive did exactly as Wes described in an email: She spent her life making life better for us. And that resonates so strongly for me with Jesus words, recorded in Luke 9:24. "Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it." Olive Summach didn't give up her life all at once on September 28th, 2013. She spent 91 years laying it down, one day at a time, for her Lord, her family, and her friends. We will miss her.

1. ↑ Asquith and District Historical Society (Saskatchewan). The Asquith Record. (Asquith, Saskatchewan: Asquith and District Historical Society, 1982)
   Page 315ff, 1982.

   Page 315 - Fred Summach, Sr.
   Page 319 - Harvey and Olive Summach by Harvey

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Births and Marriages, in Fred Summach's Bible.

   Births - Blanche Olive Sept 14, 1922
   Marriages - Olive to Harvey Jan 30 - 1943
   
   See the above source page for images of the pages.

3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Mother Passed Away and subsequent messages
   Oct 2013.
4. ↑ ^4.0 4.1 Blanche Olive Summach, in Star Phoenix. (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)
   5 Oct 2013.

   Summach – Blanche Olive, passed away suddenly at Saskatoon on September 28, 2013, at the age of 91 years. Olive was born in Delisle, Saskatchewan on September 14, 1922 and lived in the Asquith area until January 1943 when she married Harvey and moved to Saskatoon. Olive and Harvey moved to Calgary, Alberta in 1977 and then to Creston, B.C. in 1981. Olive is survived by her sons, [names of living individuals have been removed] and by her daughter [names of living individuals have been removed.] She is survived by grandchildren [names of living individuals have been removed;] and great-grandchildren [names of living individuals have been removed] along with many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband Harvey in 1997, her sons Edward in 1967 and Jodey in 2004, sister Muriel (1992), sister Estelle (2001), and brothers Emerson (1964), Delbert (1983), Malcolm (1998), Manley (2006), and Fred (2008). Olive is survived by brother [names of living individuals have been removed] and by sister [names of living individuals have been removed.] Olive was a loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, and a dear friend to many. She leaves us with many treasured memories. Olive will be fondly remembered by all who knew and loved her. She enjoyed quiet conversations sprinkled with a joke or two followed by a smile. Her sense of humor was genetic. She will lovingly be remembered for playing hymns and gospel music on the piano, organ, and accordion. Her strong unbending faith in Christ carried her through life's challenges right to her passing. Olive was a mother who could do almost everything. She thought nothing of moving furniture around the house despite her small size. Her sewing and baking were second to none. Quilting was a passion. Her kids and grandkids remember her singing gospel choruses as she rocked them in her favorite rocking chair. She will be missed by her family and friends. Funeral services will be held at Emmanuel Baptist Church on Saturday, October 19, 2013 with Pastors Lou Leventhal and Robin Sloboda officiating. If desired, donations may be made in Olive's memory to Samaritan's Purse. Cremation is by Acadia McKague's Funeral Centre. Inurnment will take place at Creston, B.C. at a later date.