Harlin Summers

Harlin Kay Summers was born November 21, 1935, in Acequia, Idaho to Merritt Ray Summers and Kanoho (Connie) Brewerton Summers. He attended a four room, eight grade school in Acequia and later attended schools in Idaho Falls as his parents had a farm in Acequia and worked in the school system in Idaho Falls. This meant traveling on weekends to the farm and living in Idaho Falls during the school year, while summers were spent on the farm.  He learned the farming work ethic and enjoyed the traveling back and forth on the weekends in the family car with his sisters, Vonae and Juanita. Singing was the entertainment during these 2½ hour trips.  He graduated from Idaho Falls High School in 1953 and briefly attended Woodbury College in Los Angeles, Los Angeles Jr. College, and BYU in Provo. 

He married Mary Hunt in 1954 and lived in the Los Angeles area for six years until they divorced; he then moved back to Idaho. He married Jackie Pratt in 1961, and they later divorced.  He married Peggy Linkowski in 1976, and they had 34 mostly happy years together until she passed away in 2009. He married Vickie Hill in 2011, and they have built a new life together.  He was especially appreciative of Vickie’s family accepting him as father and grandfather. 

He started work at the National Reactor Testing Station in 1961 and progressed through several different contractors and name changes as maintenance planner and telephone design engineer until he found the “best job in the world” as a tour guide taking visitors to site locations and helping them understand the complexities of the varied operations.  He had been able to visit all of the 52 reactor locations while most of them were still operating. An added benefit was being Reader during High School Scholastic Tournaments. He retired in1998 but returned part-time until 2004 when Peggy retired.

In his private life, he enjoyed singing and acting in local productions, riding motorcycles– including racing dirt bikes– camping, fishing, hunting, traveling in his motorhome, and skiing.  He started teaching skiing in1961 at Pine Basin, then at Kelly Canyon, then at Grand Targhee when it opened in 1969.  After 14 years at Targhee, he accepted being Director of the Kelly Canyon Ski School, and he and Peggy operated the school until 1990.  He was proud of his 50 year ski teacher award.  Since he and Vickie married, they have been spending time camping and riding ATVs with family while spending most of each winter in their Arizona home and riding ATVs with other snowbirds, and these friends are now family.  

He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Vonae; and his wife, Peggy.  He leaves behind his wife, Vickie; sister, Juanita (Ron) Lam in Hawaii; daughter, Deirdre (Paul) Figuera Merrill in California; son, Drew (Anamaria) Summers in Shelley; son, James (Christie) Beamish in Spokane; daughter, Dalrie (Rob) Cook in St. George; son, Don in California; son, Dave in Idaho Falls; and son, Paul in California, with all their family members, including nine grandchildren and six great grandchildren.  Also left are his newest family; son, Sage (Brandi) Hill in Idaho Falls; daughter, Raquel (Martin) Chambers in Idaho Falls; daughter, Autumn (Ryan) Seitz in Twin Falls; son, Roman (Deidre) Hill in Ashton; son, Jared (Kim) Hill in Boise; and son, Cade Hill in St. Anthony with all their family members.   

Harlin passed peacefully in his home on May 11, 2020, surrounded by his family. All who knew him loved Harlin, and he will be greatly missed.  

Private family services are being held.