Jacqueline Whitman Sommer, 90, of Hollis and Wolfeboro died full of grace and beauty on Sunday, December 13, 2015 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Nashua surrounded by the love of her family.
She was born on September 1, 1925 in Newark, NJ, daughter of Emilie Campbell Whitman and Courtenay S. Whitman. She grew up in Maplewood, NJ and graduated from Columbia High School in 1943. She was a graduate of Bradford Junior College in Haverhill, Massachusetts and also attended Parsons School of Design in NYC and Katherine Gibbs Secretarial School in NYC.
On June 12, 1947, she married the love of her life, Bertrand Sommer in Maplewood, NJ. They were married for 65 years until his death in December of 2012. After the birth of their first child, they settled in Livingston, NJ where Jacqueline was active in Junior Women’s Club and served as president. She was a Cub Scout den leader as well as a Girl Scout leader and enjoyed participating and supporting her children’s many activities. During Little League season, she was a fixture in the scorekeeper box while watching her boys play baseball.
Jackie and her family moved to Hollis in 1968. She worked many different part time jobs, but her main focus was on her family and she cherished most of all her role as wife, mother, grandmother (Nana), and great-grandmother (GG). In her earlier years she enjoyed bowling, and golfing at Nashua Country Club and Kingswood Golf Club.
As a member of the Congregational Church of Hollis, she previously served as a trustee, chairman of the Christmas Fair and volunteered in the church office. She was a member of the Hollis Women’s Club. She loved to play bridge and did so often with special groups of women she looked forward to seeing each month. Jackie had also volunteered in the Southern New Hampshire Hospital gift shop.
Jackie was artistic and talented in many areas. She made quilts for her grandchildren, enjoyed sewing and painting. She was an avid reader and kept up with current events. Her legacy was being the family historian and storyteller. From early childhood, summers were spent at Lake Wentworth in Wolfeboro where she shared her love of the lake with her husband, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and many friends. Each summer at the lake always ended with a family gathering celebrating her birthday.
She lovingly leaves; her children Randy Sommer and his wife Paula Smith of Amherst, Diana Sommer of Keene, Thomas Sommer and his wife Lynda of Litchfield, Susan Ballou and her husband Matthew of Lyndeborough; her sisters Judith Taylor and her husband Frederick of Vernon, CT, Elizabeth Dise and her husband Lawrence of Hernando, FL; her grandchildren Wendi Campbell and her husband Robert of Keene, Ryan Allen of Lebanon, NH, Kate Pfirman and her husband Steven of York, ME, Emilie Sandifer and husband Jason of Cumberland Foreside, ME, Lori Sommer of Litchfield and Alison Sommer of Litchfield, Shannon Silva and her husband Robert of Wilton, James Allen of Keene; great-grandchildren Caitlin Campbell, Chelsey Campbell, Nathan Campbell, Jacqueline Campbell, Nathan Pfirman, Devin Sommer, Brianna Rivera, William Sandifer, Paisley Silva, Clara Sandifer, Hadley Silva; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.
She is predeceased by her husband Bertrand, her brother Courtenay S. Whitman Jr. and great-granddaughter Madilyn Rivera.
SERVICES: There are no calling hours. A private service will be held for family. The family has requested in lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Jacqueline be made to a charity of your choosing.
Arrangements are in the care of the FARWELL FUNERAL SERVICE, 18 Lock Street, Nashua, NH 03064, 603-882-0591, www.farwellfuneral.com.
