Mary Summey Obituary

Mary "Merrie" West Britton Carter Summey

April 5, 1938 - February 13, 2024

Raleigh, North Carolina - Merrie Summey, 85, passed away on February 13th, 2024, doing what she loved: sleeping.

We can all only hope for such a peaceful transition.

Merrie was a truly rare spirit. A lot of people say that about their moms. In Merrie's case, it's actually true. Merrie was a source of kindness, encouragement and love for everyone she encountered. She was possessed with an uncanny ability to impart genuine, soul-touching love, even to those who she just met in passing.

It's not easy being the child (or son-in-law or daughter-in-law, or even grandson or granddaughter) of a spirit of true light, love and acceptance. We have tried to be more like Merrie. We have failed, but we won't stop trying. We have heard countless times, "Merrie is the SWEETEST PERSON I have ever met!" All we can say is, "We know, we know."

Merrie saw all people as individuals, deserving of love and kindness. She was incapable of prejudging anyone for their beliefs or appearance or social status or lifestyle choice. She merely loved them and wanted them to know it. Anyone who spent a moment in her presence, regardless of the occasion or circumstance, was touched. They remembered the way she made them feel for the rest of their lives. Even in her final days, suffering from progressive dementia, she was expressing kindness and love to all those who cared for her at The Cardinal. There was a pilgrimage of care team members saying their goodbyes as Merrie was passing away.

Merrie was connected to the spiritual realm in a way most of us can't understand. She spent her adult life exploring the mysteries of what lies beyond the tangible world. Her study of spirituality led Merrie to many fascinating places and groups of devoted friends. It was this lifelong quest that led her to change the spelling of her name from "Mary" to "Merrie" to reflect something more joyful and whimsical.

Merrie started her career as an elementary school teacher. She was good at it. She connected with students and parents in a way that was empathetic and always encouraging. Following her teaching career, Merrie a held series of other jobs, but she gravitated toward work that allowed her to be around beautiful things. She strove to help people recognize their own beauty - outer and inner. The work she loved the most was in flower shops and art galleries. She enjoyed creating and was an accomplished calligrapher.

She found so much beauty in the world around her every day – in the clouds, in the fields, on the canvas, in the faces of others – and taught us to not only recognize natural beauty, but to seek it out: to immerse ourselves in it and feel the joy and healing it brings. A family road trip from NC to Washington State in 1956 introduced her to the beauty of the West. She eventually spent much of her adult life in New Mexico, Arizona and Baja California. She was also devoted to a series of lucky dogs along the way, including Lady, Tam, Bascombe, Missy, Samantha, Hector, Dolly, Samson, and Calvin.

Merrie loved music and kept a steady soundtrack playing behind our childhoods, whether it was The Mamas and the Papas or The Fifth Dimension or Kajagoogoo. Seriously, she liked Kajagoogoo. She really loved to dance!

Merrie also LOVED to laugh. The sound of her laugh was joyful and, when she was really tickled, fell into the signature, open-mouthed cackle that all Britton/Branch women genetically possess. When Merrie was really mad at us (a rarity?), we knew if we tackled her, hugged her, said funny things in silly voices, we would all collapse in a heap of laughter and all the trouble would pass. She was always up for a bit of silliness and would struggle with us kids to stifle her laughter when we were in church or other somber situations.

It's hard to capture the life of a loved one in a few paragraphs. Fortunately, all of us who know her have so much more than that. We have hearts and minds and souls that were expanded by Merrie. We are better people, and the world is a truly better place, because of her. Thanks, Mom. We love you.

Merrie was born in Marion, Virginia on April 5, 1938, to Margaret Branch "Peggy" Britton and Rufus Howard Britton. Her family moved to Raleigh when Merrie was four years old.

Merrie graduated from Needham Broughton High School. She attended "WC" in Greensboro and continued her studies in elementary education before graduating from UNC Chapel Hill where she was an active member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority.

She was predeceased by infant brother, James Branch Britton, her parents, first husband, James Larry Carter, and second husband, Duane Joel "Sam" Summey.

Her sister, Margaret Dodd Britton lives in Seattle, WA.

Her elder son, Jay Carter and his wife, Charmaine live in Mt. Airy, NC.

Her daughter, Emma Carter and her husband, David De Valeria live in Cary, NC.

Her younger son, Britt Carter and his wife, Patty live in Raleigh, NC.

Jay's three kids are: Mary Anne Carter, who lives in Seattle, WA with her partner, Brandon, elder son Jamie Carter and his partner Madi who live in Keystone, CO, and younger son, Britton Carter and his partner, Paloma who live in Albuquerque, NM.

Britt's two kids are: daughter, Perry Carter who lives in Winston-Salem, NC, and son, Quinn Carter who lives in Sunnyvale, CA.

A Celebration of Merrie's Life will be held in Raleigh in spring 2024. In lieu of flowers, please take a moment to do something that brings you joy. Merrie would love that.