Sharon Ruth Summers (nee Wagner) of Grand Prairie, Texas, passed into the loving arms of her Heavenly Father on July 12th, 2024, after a valiant battle with breast cancer. She was born on January 24, 1946, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Paul Riegel Wagner and Ruth Elizabeth Funk Wagner.
Sharon’s parents devoted their lives to Christian ministry with a special focus on music. Sharon played violin and piano and had a lovely singing voice. One of the highlights of her youth was her time as a High School student at Hampden DuBose Academy, a Christian boarding school in Zellwood, Florida. Sharon attended Dallas Bible College, where her father, Paul, was the director of the music department. She earned a B.S. in Biblical Education with a focus on music. Sharon toured extensively with a group from DBC. As a result, she met David, her husband of nearly 57 years, in South Texas. He saw her photo on a concert announcement in the local newspaper and attended the event to meet her. They married on September 1, 1967, at her parents’ home in Dallas, Texas. Two years later, David was drafted into the United States Marine Corps, and they moved to several military bases in their early marriage. After David’s separation from the Military in 1972, David and Sharon moved to Arlington, Texas where they raised their family. They moved to Grand Prairie, Texas in 2007.
Sharon devoted herself to the upbringing of her four beloved sons, Brian, Nathan, Steven, and Darren. They filled her life with so much joy. She was an enthusiastic supporter of their sports, education, and musical endeavors, and very proud of the men they grew to be. A lover of the outdoors, Sharon enjoyed camping and hiking, birdwatching, cycling, and gardening. Sharon was the center of an extended family and the gracious hostess of Holiday celebrations and birthday parties. She especially loved decorating her home for Christmas and planning the annual Easter Egg Hunt. Sharon was an excellent cook. She also enjoyed creative endeavors and was a skilled quilter. Sharon was a gentle, compassionate woman. Her love for Jesus was expressed over the years through her service as coordinator of the worship team at Grand Prairie Bible Church, activity in the Arlington home school community, as office manager of the Grand Prairie Pregnancy Resource Center, by opening her home to families in need and missionaries on leave from the field, and by the way she treated her family and friends.
Sharon contracted Lyme disease in 1998 and struggled to regain her health, eventually recovering through much hard work. During that time of illness, and during her cancer journey, she clung to the promises of God, especially Isaiah 41: 10: “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
Sharon is predeceased by her parents, Paul and Ruth Wagner and her sister Nancy Wagner. She is survived by her husband, David, her brothers Tom Wagner, and Mark Wagner (Cherry), her sons Brian Summers (Jennifer), Nathan Summers (Candi), Steven Summers, Darren Summers (Jennifer), Jeff Nash (Holly), and her many beautiful grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation in celebration of her life to BESTWA.org.
