Local voice stilled
February 15, 2009
You may not have known Jerry Wayne Summers’ name, but if you listened to any of Keymarket’s local radio stations, you knew his sound.
The production voice of Pittsburgh-area “Froggy” country radio stations for the past six years, Summers died Feb. 6 in UPMC Montefiore hospital, Oakland. He was 54 and had battled lupus and other ailments.
According to the Post-Gazette, the South Carolina native entered broadcasting after his engineer father encouraged him to study for an FCC operator’s license. His first job came at a 1,000-watt radio station in Bristol, Tenn.
Summers worked in Charlotte, Milwaukee, Buffalo and Miami before settling down in Pittsburgh several years ago. He had recently performed in stage productions at Carnegie Mellon, Open Stage Theatre, Prime Stage Theatre and Canonsburg’s Little Lake Theatre.
He is survived by his wife Becky; sons Jonathan, Sean and Matthew; daughters Emily and Laura Testa; and two brothers. Memorial contributions may be made to the foundation for the Lupus Center of Excellence, 2403 Sidney St., Suite 235, Pittsburgh, PA 15203.
