Dinners for Dinah: In Memory of Rich Summers

It is with great sadness that we share the news of Rich Summers' passing on Apr 17, 2025. Dinah will miss him dearly and would benefit greatly from your love and company in the years ahead. She is such a social person, this adjustment to living without her partner will be hard after 27 years of marriage.

Please feel free to drop by her house to visit in the coming months. We are also organizing a “Dinners for Dinah” meal program to bring comfort and support. Donations will be used to pay for dinner deliveries each week (coordinated by her daughter Amanda Atkinson-Fritzsche), and also regularly replenish her home with food and treats.

We hope this will soften the loss of the empty chair at Dinah's kitchen table. We plan to post the names of her friends (or post your cards) in the kitchen so she can feel the love from everyone each time she sits down for a meal.

Of course you may also wish to bring by a home-cooked dish for Dinah! And the gift of your love and friendship will be valued above all.

With gratitude,

Jennifer & Amanda (Dinah's daughters)

OBITUARY FOR RICHARD SUMMERS

Richard L. Summers, 89, of Cambria, CA passed away peacefully on April 17, 2025. Born in Hollywood, CA, to Vera and James Summers, Richard graduated from Santa Barbara High School and later attended Cal Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where he received a degree in Education and ultimately a Master’s in Education.

Like his parents, Richard was a devoted public school teacher who spent his 35-year-career as an educator, Principal and then Superintendent of Shandon Unified School District.

A lifelong learner and scholar, he was a voracious reader of classic and contemporary literature and poetry. At his core, Richard was an artist and philosopher. He was also a writer, musician, craftsman, engineer and designer, and he approached these skills and others with an artful eye and in reflective contemplation. An avid camper, hiker and walker, Richard had great appreciation for nature and especially enjoyed traveling to outdoor destinations including camping and hiking in the Sierras and on the beaches of San Felipe, Mexico, climbing the “great pyramids” at Chichén Itzá, Mexico and walking The Great Wall of China. But it was the beauty of the California Central Coast that left the deepest impression upon him as he lived the majority of his life in the north county of San Luis Obispo, finally settling in the remarkably beautiful and welcoming community of Cambria.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Julie Summers and son Patrick Summers.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 28 years, Dinah Lundbeck and a large blended family of step-children and grandchildren including son Jacob (Deborah) Atkinson, and grandchildren, Contessa, Isis and Trace Atkinson; daughters, Jennifer Atkinson (Michael Casey McGarity and sister Shannon McGarity) Amanda Atkinson-Fritzsche (Brian Fotinakes) and grandchildren Lucca and Daisy Fritzsche and their father Brendan Fritzsche; sisters-in-law Holly Lundbeck (John) Dunkle, Gretchen (Norton) Sloan.

Richard is also survived by his daughter Jennifer (Michael) Hudson and family and his dear friend of 72 years, and mother of his children, Judith Summers.

He will be deeply missed and remembered forever by his entire loving family, extended family members and the many friends he made throughout his life.