Barbara Summers Bernatz

Barbara Summers Bernatz
Hamilton - Barbara Jean Summers parents were Leland "Lefty" Summers and Viva Benson. She was born in Hamilton January 24, 1928 and raised in Darby until her mother's death when she was seven. After her mother's death, she and her older brother Bob were raised by relatives until her father was able to re-group. Her uncle "Hub" owned and operated the Darby Mercantile and built and established the Sula store. Barbara grew up working in the family business. After graduation Barb worked as a medical receptionist for Dr. Gordon and a bookkeeper at the old Bernatz Oil Co in Hamilton for several years.
She met her future husband Fred in the 8th grade and rekindled their friendship after his return from service in China and Japan with the Marine Corps in WWII. She married Fritz in 1948. They lived and worked in Hamilton having two children, Ben and Brooke, their marriage lasted over 52 years.
In the early 50's, Fred's exposure to the world and international affairs led them from the Bitterroot to Phoenix, AZ where they attended the Thunderbird School of international management. Barb tended to the kids, enjoyed the sun and upon graduation set off on a 15 year worldwide international adventure with Fred. They lived in Sydney Australia over 10 years.
Assisting her husband with his career and tending to her kids, she was a good mom, wife and friends. Barb was a gifted artist. She loved Cocker Spaniels, Knitting and cards (especially bridge). She was lucky, highly intelligent, and possessed great wit and insight. She had a competitive nature and was blond, blue eyed and good looking.
In 1967, Barb and Fred concerned about their children, gave up their careers and returned to the Bitterroot where they owned and operated numerous business and real estate investments.
They had a giving nature and often contributed for the community's best interest in land, money and time. Barbara loved golf and baseball (especially the Yankees). She was a Republican and an early Presbyterian who later in life converted to the Catholic Faith (Thank you Father Jack and Sister Margaret).
Loyal and direct, she was strong, and not afraid to state her opinions. She was independent, outspoken, a great hostess and representative of America overseas.
After raising her children, Barb focused on her own career and went to work for Paine-Webber, becoming a stock broker and eventually an administrative Vice-President, travelling the country while based in Spokane, Seattle and New York. She retired to Mesa, AZ where she continued to work part-time after Fred's death in 2000.
Barb was personally successful. She managed and maintained a substantial personal estate while remaining true to her conservative heritage. She took care of her family in life and in death. She returned to Hamilton in April 2010 and died from the effects of her 50 year smoking habit.
She is survived by her brother, Bob and family in Oregon; her son, Ben (Debbie) of Hamilton; daughter, Brooke (Pat) of Alaska; grandsons, Mike (Erin), Jeff and Paul; numerous nieces and nephews.
Barbara was proud of her heritage and descended from the early pioneer Chaffin family who had the first born "White" boy born in the Bitterroot. An unusual fact is that her husband Fritz was descended from the Dobbins family, also an early pioneer family who had the first born "White" girl in the valley, a fact they both had fun with. She was a 5th generation Montanan.
Barb's family had a pre-revolutionary history, including a great-great uncle who was killed at the Alamo with Crockett in 1836. Her family came out of Tennessee and Alabama drifting to the unsettled territories in 1860, avoiding the politics of the Civil War. They were largely southern, soft spoken and fiercely independent Americans. Barbara reflected their traits. She travelled the world extensively and lived a good and high life. She loved her family and went out on her own terms.
We hope she can find her way to heaven but being extremely left handed, it might have affected the way she went. It certainly affected the way she did stuff here.