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 Susanna (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 (Summers) Willcut; his former son-in-law, Curt Knoth; his nephew, Mark D. Willcut; and his parents-in-law, Emma Louise (Swann) Tolbert and James Wesley Tolbert.

The military brought John and Gayle to Ft. Riley where they fell in love with the area and decided to make it their home. John built a 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 firm of John E. Summers & Co. Realtors, and as broker at Century 21 Gold Team Realtors, retiring in 2016. He was president of the Junction City Jaycees and of the Junction City Chamber of Commerce playing a major role in Sundown Salute, one of the city's largest Independence Day celebrations. He remained active in the community and in St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church where he continued a legacy of service instilled in him by his parents.

In his younger years he was your ever ready 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.

John is survived by his daughters, Kristi Summers (Zach) and Stephanie Culver (Chuck); seven grandchildren, Dylan, Jesse, Kalli, Lily 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, Samuel L. Willcut; cousins Sharon (Stokes) Garrison, Van Harrison Stokes III, Mary Jane (Thomson) Thompson; and a great many friends and other relatives.

John will rest with Gayle at Park Cemetery in Malden. He requested that instead of flowers, memorial contributions might be made to Geary Community Healthcare Foundation in Junction City or to a charitable organization of the donor's choice.

A gathering will be held Saturday, September 12, 2026, beginning at 11:00 a.m. at St. Ann's Parish Hall. The Rosary will be at 11:30 a.m. followed by the Funeral Mass at noon at St. Ann's Catholic Church in Malden, Missouri.

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