St. Lucie pioneer family loses patriarch

Herman Summerlin
Herman Summerlin holds open the mouth of a shark caught off Fort Pierce. In the 1960s, Summerlin assisted the State of Florida with a study researching the migration and feeding habits of sharks along the east coast. Over the years, he became a point person for state officials working on historical or scientific projects due to his immense knowledge of the area waterways.

BY PATTIE DURHAM

Fisherman. Father. Friend. Herman Roy Summerlin Sr. was all of these and more.

Son of Richard R. “Dick” Summerlin Sr. and Claudia Ramsey Summerlin, he was born May 4, 1938, in St. Lucie Village and raised along the shores of the Indian River where his father worked as a fishing guide. A proud member of a pioneering family, he was a third-generation resident of St. Lucie County. He died March 20.

Summerlin, 81, spent most of his life fishing on the water or running one of his many businesses. He opened his first business, Summerlin’s Seafood, in 1963. Three years later, he bought a seafood market on the South Causeway, renaming it Summerlin’s Baywood Fisheries. His brother, Astor, joined him in the venture.

Never a man to stay idle, he began a marine construction business, Seven Seas, in the 1970s and built many of the docks in St. Lucie County and surrounding area. This company, now known as Summerlin Marine Construction, is being run by his children. He visited daily during his retirement years, checking on how things were going.

John W. “Boo” McCulley, who worked with Summerlin for around 50 years, said Summerlin designed more docks than anybody else in Florida.
“He would take the blueprints from the engineers and look them over,” McCulley said, “and then he would say, ‘that’s not gonna work,’ then he would suggest changes to make it all work out. Herman knew this area and what needed to be done to put docks in.”

McCulley worked with Summerlin in a salvage business back in the 1970s and said the State of Florida decided to do a cleanup of derelict and sunken vessels. “We removed boats from Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Brevard counties,” McCulley said.

Ronnie Rohm, a longtime St. Lucie Village resident, grew up with the Summerlins and once worked on a Summerlin fishing boat. He said one of the important lessons Summerlin taught him was “to be nonjudgmental and to help everybody you can.”

“He helped a lot of people,” Rohm said. “You never know how you are going to touch somebody’s heart. He was always like that. He didn’t make a big deal about it. I think a lot of people sometimes didn’t even know he helped them.”


“He helped a lot of people,” Rohm said. “You never know how you are going to touch somebody’s heart. He was always like that. He didn’t make a big deal about it. I think a lot of people sometimes didn’t even know he helped them.”

— Ronnie Rohm


Well-known around St. Lucie County for his philanthropy, Summerlin would supply fish for a charitable cause or come with his children to run the fish fry benefit. His children worked hard and learned from his example, just as he, in turn, learned from his parents.

Diamond Litty, a St. Lucie County public defender, met Summerlin many years ago. Her father also was a fisherman. She said simply, “Herman was a great man.”

“He was part of a dying breed,” she added. “The breed that says what they mean and means what they say. The breed that shakes your hand and he’s good for it. His word is his bond. He had that old-fashioned goodness, common sense and all of the things my daddy stood for and taught me.”

Summerlin is survived by his wife, Karen; sons, Herman “Roy” Jr. [Ann], James “Sam” and David; along with daughters, Susie Quandt, Jan Hagan, Peggy Allen [Bobby] and Joy Yancy [Robbie]; also, step-children Jesse Davis [Anna], Jamie Davis and Jennifer Davis; and his sister, Mary Ann Price.

He is survived by 18 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his daughter, Pamela [newborn], his brothers, Richard R. “Dick” Jr., Bryant A. “Astor”, Joseph A. “Archie,” Charles Ramsay “Charlie” and Dennis Summerlin; along with sisters, Manetta Gould, Charlotte Summerlin and Lucille Richardson.

A private burial was held at Riverview Memorial Park due to the pandemic. A celebration of his life will be scheduled at a later date.

See the original article in the print publication

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