Marla Ehrlich Summerour

Marla Denise Ehrlich was born in Shattuck, Oklahoma to Donald Lloyd and Norma Jean Ehrlich in 1954. Her family moved to El Paso, Texas in 1957. She attended Stanton Elementary, MacArthur Middle, and W.H. Burges High School, from where she graduated in 1972. She received a B.S. Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Texas – El Paso in 1978. Thereafter she began her teaching career in El Paso, teaching at several schools, the last of which was Douglass Elementary in 1986.
In 1982, she began performing in local community theater productions including such well-known musicals as “Carousel”, “Chicago”, “The Sound of Music”, and “Fiddler on the Roof” with Music Theater El Paso. Her enjoyment of singing and performing extended through her years in the choir of the Duluth First United Methodist Church.
In April, 1983 she met UTEP Geology grad student Joseph H. Summerour, Jr. and they were married in 1984. In late 1986 they adopted their daughter Ashley Lynn. In April, 1991 they moved to her husband’s hometown of Duluth, Ga., later joining the Duluth First United Methodist Church. In 1995 they adopted their son Travis Lloyd.
She restarted her teaching career with positions at Faith Life Christian Academy, Duluth First United Methodist Church preschool and Christian Beginnings, and finally as a parapro at Norcross Elementary and Simpson Elementary School, where she assisted children with mild to moderate autism, until health concerns forced her to leave in May, 2013.
Their daughter Ashley married Joshua Leonard in March, 2008. Their first grandson Benjamin was born in 2009 and their second grandson Kyle was born in 2012. She is survived by her husband Joseph, daughter Ashley and son in-law Joshua, son Travis, parents Donald and Norma Ehrlich of Edmond, OK, sister Linda Laws of Seattle, WA, brother Lyle Ehrlich of Farmington, NM, 5 aunts and 2 uncles, 2 grandsons, 5 nieces, 3 nephews, and 1 greatniece.