Obituaries

Ronna June (Parish) (Touchtone) Summerville passed away on Friday, February 13, 2026, at the Ball Hospice House in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, surrounded by her loving family. She was born at home on the Bay Mills Indian Reservation to Clarence and June (Carrick) Parish on August 29, 1942.

Ronna graduated with the Brimley High School class of 1960 and was a proud alumnus, attending luncheons with her old classmates and enjoying their company. Following graduation, she moved to the Flint area where she met Albert Touchtone Sr, married, and started a family in Utica, Michigan. When Albert was killed in a tragic boating accident in 1969, she moved home to Bay Mills, where she remained for the rest of her life, amongst a large family and the community she loved. She met Vernon “Joe” Summerville and in 1973 they were married, and her children were loved as his own. They went on to have two more children. She endured a heartbreaking event in the late 70’s when the home she shared with her husband and children burned down and 2 of the children were lost. She persevered and she and her husband operated the Ojibwe Market store across from the ball field in Bay Mills, while they raised their remaining children and eventually came grandchildren to enjoy. Sadly, in the late 80’s, she saw tragedy strike again when Joe was killed in an accident. Still, she persevered. With all the strength she could muster she carved out a life for her and her family. She cared for her own mother until the time of her mother’s passing in 1996. It was at that time that she began working at the Bay Mills Resort and Casino in the coat check, where she made many friends of the coworkers and customers that she interacted with every day. She worked there for nearly 20 years until she retired and moved in with her daughter where she would remain until days before her death.

Ronna was a champion of both people and animals. Her door was always open and a pot of something delicious on the stove for anyone who needed it. She took in some of her younger second cousins who needed a place to stay and a stable home environment. Her favorite saying about that was, “if you find yourself with bounty, build a bigger table, not a bigger fence.” And she didn’t just speak it, she lived it. She worked at the Bay Village Adult Foster Care, and when she was forced to quit to care for her own Mother, an old lady that lived there, who had no one in this world, cried and begged Ronna to take her home with her. And Ronna did just that. That lady, Ada Bentley, became “Granny B” to the family and Ronna treated her like another mother for the rest of Ada’s life. Her generous spirit also extended to the animal kingdom, and she was rehabbing wildlife before that was even “a thing” around here. If one came in particularly injured, she would put it in her old pick-up and haul it out to Doc Jewel on Mac Trail and he would help get it stable enough for Ronna to take care of at home. People came from miles around to see her collection of wild, domestic, and even exotic animals. She had a special fondness for birds and was often lovingly referred to as “the bird lady.” Every bird was important to her. When a young lady brought an injured seagull once, Ronna patched it up, and being it couldn’t be released due to its injuries, it lived a happy life with her chickens. Later in life, she enjoyed sitting out in front of her breezeway and would light up when visitors came up the driveway, sharing stories and laughs with nieces, nephews, and grandchildren that would come over. She kept watch over a beloved flock of turkeys, still living in the back yard to this day. She also had two elderly retired barn cats that she loved and two parakeets, Bert and Ernie. Prior to her getting dementia, she enjoyed the VFW bingo with her sister Jackie and their many road trips to town and thrift stores.

Ronna is survived by three children, Sherry (Vern) Bertram, Randy (Jennifer) Touchtone, and Ruth Ann (Charles) Sanders; eight grandchildren, Nick (Lindsay) Bertram, Albert (Megan) Bertram, Amy (Jeremy) Eddy, Suzanne (Lauren Mason) Kavo, Ashley (Sean Roush) Touchtone, Randilynn (Keith Jr.) Swendsen, Samantha (Jeff Sims) Lyons, and Brian Touchtone.; great-grandchildren, Noah, Summer, Peyton, Evie, Deklan, Lincoln, Gideon, Taylor, Paige, Ruthie, Matthew, Ariel, and Scarlett; two brothers, Bob Parrish and Pat Parish of Bay Mills; three sisters, Alsina George, Pamela (Dan) Thurston, and Jackie Harrington; brother-in-law, Tim Harrington; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins, including special Touchtone nieces, Laureen Crowley and Kathleen Fairbanks, who were by her side in her final hours at the hospice house as well.

Ronna was preceded in death by her parents, her first husband, Albert Touchtone Sr. (1969), son, Albert Touchtone Jr. (1979); daughter, Amy Sue Summerville (1979); 2nd husband, Vernon “Joe” Summerville, (1988); and her brother, Roger Parish (2013).

The family would like to acknowledge the superior care and compassion their mom and the family received starting with Bay Mills EMS all the way through the whole process. With special thanks to the Nurses and Dr. Kyle in the ER and Hannah a special nurse on Med Surg. All of them were wonderful to both Ronna and all of the family. The hospice house staff that were there, though it was a short stay, were outstanding, compassionate, caring people. With a special mention to Delores, Justice and Patty.

Funeral services for Ronna will be at St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic Church in Bay Mills on Friday, February 20, 2026, with Father Dominic officiating. Visitation will be from 10:30 am to noon for the public, with Mass of Christian Burial at 12:00 noon. A luncheon at the Senior Center will follow. Burial will be at Mission Hill Cemetery in the spring.

Memorial Contributions can be made to the Ball Hospice House, North Woods Hospice, or the Chippewa County Animal Shelter. Fulfilling items from their wish lists in Ronna’s memory would have made her very happy.

Family Life Funeral Homes – Sault Ste. Marie assisted the family with arrangements. Condolences may be given to the family at www.familylifefh.com.

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