Loretta May Somers (Pemberton)

Loretta May Somers (Pemberton), a retired Registered nurse and life-long Seventh-Day Adventist, resident of Nevada, Mo., died peacefully on May 10, 2020, at the age of 85 at Moore Few Care Center.

Loretta is survived by her children, Jack Leonard Somers II (Thais Somers), Carol Lee McMillen (Somers) (Mark Allen McMillen), Robert Floyd Somers (Stephanie Sue Somers), and Steven Somers; sister, Bonnie Louise Schwarck (Pemberton); brother, Deryl Floyd Pemberton (Fran Pemberton); 18 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; one great- great-grandchild; and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, Melvin Floyd Pemberton and Elsie May Pemberton (Stack); spouse, Jack Leonard Somers; and daughter, Cheryl Ann Milano (Somers).

Loretta was born in Valentine, Neb., on Oct. 1, 1934, to Elsie May Pemberton (Stack) and Floyd Pemberton. She attended Union College, Lincoln, Neb., in 1955 and then later finished her RN degree at Bryan Memorial school of nursing in 1967. She worked at various nursing homes, the State hospital and lastly at Heartland Hospital before retiring. On Sept. 16, 1956, she married Pfc Jack Leonard Somers.

Loretta took on the role of matriarch for her family after the passing of her mother. Her hobbies included singing hymns, studying the sabbath school quarterly, watching movies, and scrapbooking. She was an avid researcher of her family’s genealogy. She loved attending to her purple Irises and her vegetable garden. There were many summers spent canning her vegetables for the winter.

Loretta loved spending time with her family. There were many family trips taken to Silver dollar City, camp meeting, summer camp, and an untold number of lake camping trips over the years.

She was analytical and spoke bluntly. She was known for solving difficult issues within the family and often was the leader in her career and church service activities. She was a spiritual woman who was devoted in her faith. She lead church Christmas programs and VBS, and served as church superintendent and church school board member as well as lead pianist. She will be deeply missed by her friends, family, and all who knew her.

A celebration of life service is tentatively scheduled July 4, 2020 at 4 p.m., at the Nevada Seventh-Day Adventist Church. She will be reunited with her late husband, Jack Somers on Aug. 16, 2020, in the Ada, Kan., cemetery at 10 a.m. Bring a dish potluck will follow at 4 p.m. at the Ada Community Hall.