Community Mourning After Watonga Pastor Killed In I-40 Crash

A local congregation is in total shock after learning one of their leaders suddenly died. Christy Summers, 50, died in a crash Tuesday in the westbound lanes of Interstate 40 shortly after noon. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said Summers and a freightliner

Wednesday, October 23rd 2019, 6:25 pm

By: Clayton Cummins

Community Mourning After Watonga Pastor Killed In I-40 Crash

A local congregation is in total shock after learning one of their leaders suddenly died.

Christy Summers, 50, died in a crash Tuesday in the westbound lanes of Interstate 40 shortly after noon.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said Summers and a freightliner tractor trailer were both traveling westbound in the outside lane of the highway, when the freightliner slowed down due to traffic conditions. Summers swerved to the right in her Jeep Cherokee, hitting the freightliner from behind.

Troopers said unsafe speed for traffic conditions caused the crash.

Summers had a long career in religion. Most recently, she served as a pastor at Watonga First United Methodist Church. She began in January.

Congregation members said in that short time, Summers found her church home.

“She was really helping our church become more thoughtful to what God wants us to do,” said congregation member Prisscilla Ice. “She was really bringing us together. She was a lot of fun.”

Summers was known for her love for children. She also had just gotten re-married.

“She used scripture constantly and talked about God and Jesus, and then related it to our everyday life and how we could relate to it personally,” said congregation member Pam Mason-Williams.

Summers traveled from Edmond to Watonga regularly. She was on her way to Watonga First United Methodist Church at the time of the crash.

“She said she thought of her sermons and different things that she could do on her way,” said Mason-Williams. “She said it gave her quiet time and that it didn't bother her to drive.”

Replacing Summers, this congregation knows, cannot be done. They said her legacy will live on.

“That was a blessing to know that she wanted to come and be the leader of this church,” said Ice.

“Thank you for loving us and taking care of our church,” said Mason-Williams. “I would tell her that that we would try to continue and try to keep her in our minds and keep our church strong.”

Summers leaves behind a husband and three kids, the youngest is about to graduate high school.

Funeral arrangements are currently being made.

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