Richard Blair Summersgill
Dr. Richard Blair Summersgill, 70, of Moorestown, N.J., died peacefully, in his home, Monday, July 17, 2023. He was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in the fall.
He was a son of George Summersgill of Sycamore, and the late Helen Blair Summersgill.
Born and raised in Waynesburg, Dr. Summersgill dedicated his life to service and to his family. He was a physician for 45 years – 35 of them in Moorestown, where he cared for hundreds of local families until he retired in 2018.
After attending Waynesburg Central High School, Dr. Summersgill graduated from Washington & Jefferson College, where he majored in Biology and was captain of the rifle team.
After graduating from Jefferson Medical School, he served in the U.S. Army for nine years, including assignments in Fort Ord, Calif. and Fort Dix, N.J.
Among his friends and family, he was known for his kindness and great sense of humor and among his grandchildren for his legendary camping trips and sweet tooth. His favorite pie was Key Lime, and he couldn’t drive by a donut shop without stopping to sample the baked goods. He loved to play with his grandkids and was frequently spotted at their many soccer, lacrosse and basketball games and dance recitals, cheering loudly and occasionally starting the wave.
Dr. Summersgill loved to play golf and tennis and to travel. He was an avid cyclist and rode through Scandinavia, Italy, Austria and Slovenia. A trip to Gettysburg as a teenager sparked a lifelong fascination with Civil War history. He visited many historic battlefields up and down the East Coast, volunteered to clean up historic sites and collected an impressive library of history books that will be donated to the Moorestown Public Library.
Dr. Summersgill is survived by his wife of 48 years, Linda Snyder Summersgill; daughter, Julie Townsend and husband Tim; son, Michael Summersgill and wife Devon; and son, Andrew Summersgill and wife Jessica; plus seven amazing grandkids. He is also survived by brothers, Kurt Summersgill, George Summersgill; and sister, Lee Summersgill Hostetler.
A memorial service will be held in the fall.
In lieu of flowers, the family is encouraging donations, in Dr. Summersgill’s memory, to three organizations that do extraordinary work: The ALS Association, The Paralyzed Veterans of America and Samaritan Hospice.