Somerville, Dr. Delmer K.

Passed: 1995-05-17

Age: 87

Source:

Death Notice:

Obituary Date: 1995-05-20

Information:       Dr. Delmer K. Somerville, 87, of Ripley, died Wednesday at Jackson General Hospital, after a long illness.  He was born April 27, 1907, in Jackson County, the son of the late Benjamin and Christina Lockhart Somerville.       He was educated in Jackson County public schools and was a 1926 graduate of Ripley High School, as the Valedictorian of his class.   He earned an A. B. degree from Glenville State College, a M. A. degree from West Virginia University and a Doctorate in Education from Cornell University.      His 45 years of professional service include being a one-room school teacher, an elementary school principal, secondary school teacher at Ravenswood High School, assistant and superintendent of Jackson County Schools, chairman of the Division of Education and Psychology and Dean of Glenville State College.  He served as dean for 20 years until his retirement in 1972, being designated as Dean Emeritus by the Board of Regents.      During his career, he was a member of the first State Textbook Advisory Committee, chairman of the State Teacher Education Committee, president of the West Virginia Association for Higher Education, president of the West Virginia Association of Academic Deans and chairman of the Governor's Conference on Conservation Education.      During World War II, he served in the U. S. Marine Corps and was a past commander of the Abels-Rayburn Post of the American Legion.  He was a Rotarian, Methodist, a Mason and a member of the Nemesis Shrine Temple.      He served as a member of the Jackson General Hospital Board, Jackson County Library Board, organized and was first president of the Ripley High School Alumni Association and was active in city government in Ripley.      He is survived by nieces and nephews, Gaynelle Davis of Belpre, Pauline Smith of Ravenswood, Hiram Somerville of Sandyville, Kermit Somerville of Parkersburg and Warren Somerville of Baltimore, MD.      He was preceded in death by his wife, Audrey, in March of this year; and two brothers, Harold and Karl.      Funeral services are set for today (Saturday) at 11 a.m. at Vail Funeral Home in Ripley, with the Rev. Hubert Groves officiating.  Burial will follow  in Independence Cemetery at Sandyville.      In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Calvary United Methodist Church of Ripley or the Ripley High School Scholarship Fund.