John Eugene Summers, 81, of Gladstone, Missouri, formerly of Junction City, Kansas, died August 1, 2026, at his home. He was born February 22, 1945, in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, to Louis Jeriel Summers, Sr., and Geraldine Sue (Thomson) Summers, and grew up in Malden, Missouri, where he graduated from Malden High School in 1963. He attended Memphis State University and served three years in the United States Army. In 1966 he married Myrna Gayle Tolbert of Gideon, Missouri. They had 42 years together before her death in 2008. He was preceded in death by his wife; his parents; his sister, Sue Thomson Willcut; his son-in-law, Kurt Knoth; and his nephew, Mark D. Willcut. 

John spent his career in Junction City, first in banking where he served as Chairman of the Kansas Savings and Loan Board of Governance, and then in real estate, as owner of the John E. Summers & Co. Realtors firm, retiring in 2016. He was president of the Junction City Jaycees and of the Junction City Chamber of Commerce. He stayed active in the community the entire time. In his younger years he was a golfing buddy and a boating friend. Later he was the one at the Elks Lodge with five dollars on the game. His idea of rest was mowing his lawn or tinkering in the garage. He played piano by ear and never met a gathering he couldn’t improve. 

He is survived by his daughters, Kristi Summers (Zach) and Stephanie Culver (Chuck); seven grandchildren, Dylan, Jesse, Kalli, Lilly Gayle, Lucy Ann, Austin, and Chase; his great-grandson, Theo Knoth; his brother, Louis Jeriel (Jay) Summers, Jr.; his sister-in-law, Anne (Bredeman) Summers; his nieces, Amy (Summers) Grimm and Sarah (Summers) Eiffert (Geoff); his nephew, Sam L. Willcut; cousins Sharon (Stokes) Garrison, Van Harrison Stokes, Jr., and Mary Jane (Thomson) Thompson; and a great many friends and other relatives. He will rest with Gayle at Park Cemetery in Malden. John noted that instead of flowers, memorial contributions might be made to Geary Community Healthcare Foundation in Junction City or to a charitable organization of your choice. 

Services will be announced at a later date.

Landess Funeral Home and Crematory of Malden is in charge of the arrangements.