More detail on this person: David Gordon
Summerfeldt, formerly of Trenton, NJ, passed away
on March 30, 2015, in Olympia, WA. Born Aug. 2,
1939, the eldest son of J. Gordon and Marie P.
Summerfeldt of Trenton, David is survived by his
younger brother, Robert J. Summerfeldt of Grayson,
KY; his children, Lori Summerfeldt Sevier of
Olympia, WA; David G. Summerfeldt II of
Anchorage, AK, and Daniel R. Summerfeldt of
Portland, OR, and his grandchildren, Danielle N.
Summerfeldt of Quito, Ecuador, and Jaden C.
Summerfeldt of Anchorage, AK. David graduated
from Trenton Central High School in 1957. While
attending there, he excelled as a member of the
swim team and became an Eagle Scout. He
attended Lafayette College in Easton, PA, from
September 1957 to January 1960, and then
completed his education in geological engineering
at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks in May of
1963. While at the University of Alaska, David was
a distinguished member of the Rifle Team,
achieving All- American honors. David had a
lifelong love of flying, starting to "fly" his
desk in the 3rd grade. He took his first flying
lessons while in high school and joined ROTC
during college to pursue his dream. David was an
Army aviator from September 1963 until he was
honorably discharged in March 1978. During his
service, he spent three years in Vietnam, flying
various types of aircraft (both fixed wing and
helicopters). He earned both the Distinguished
Flying Cross and the Bronze Star, two times each,
among many other less recognizable awards for his
service. Even in his later years, with dementia
taking more and more of his personality, David
would perk up and smile when he got near any type
of aircraft. After leaving the Army, David settled
in Kotzebue, AK, a small town 33 miles north of
the Arctic Circle on Alaska's western coast. He
held various jobs there, including working for the
school district for many years until he retired.
With his health declining, David left Kotzebue to
live with his eldest son in Anchorage, and finally
with his daughter in Olympia, WA. David's ashes
will be interred at Willamette National Cemetery
in Portland, OR, with full military honors on Sept
17, 2015, at 1 p.m. A reception will follow.
Published in The Times, Trenton, on Sept. 6, 2015
Burial information: Willamette National Cemetery, Portland, OR
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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