A moving and inspirational Life Celebration Service for Jerry was held on Saturday, June 22, 2019 (his birthday) at the Central United Methodist Church, 1031 Polte Road, Sedro-Woolley. We were reminded that the best birthday present for him would be to carry on his acts of mercy, care for the Environment, and education for Justice.
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Some of you are likely familiar with the Amy Goodman Democracy Now Show on radio and youtube. It puzzles me–Who is this man Warren? Every show she mentions some man named Warren–Warren Peace–the warren peace show.
and have we yet figured out who is Sarah? last name Spondah? She was in a song Mr. Sommerseth taught many of us in gradeschool, sing along if you remember:
Sarah Spondah sarah spondah sara spondah ret set set
Sarah Spondah sarah spondah sara spondah ret set set
Adoreo, adoreh boomdehoh
Adoreo, boomdehoh
Ret set set, ossey fossy oh.
I looked it up on Wikipedia on the Googles, it is a nonsense campfire song, sung in Methodist camps, originally maybe a Dutch song about spinning wheels. Not the kind kids used to put on lawns.

[JERRY SOMMER, JERRY SOMMER, JERRY SOMMER,
RET SETH SETH.]
We of the orchestra used to tour around to the grade schools at Christmastime. Decades later I dreamt that I was at a grade school concert years later and Mr. Sommerseth calls me up out of the audience to take a guest chair in the violin section.
He taught us a type of jokes called
Swifties, from Tom Swift and his incredible motor car etc.
“Say, that car’s not a stick shift”, he said automatically.
“Did you get here by train or by plane?” “By plane”he replied, airily.
or “By train, of course…!!” he railed.
You can make these up yourself once you hear a few, lots of fun for kids on long journeys. Swifties.
Mr. Sommerseth had an old-country gentlemanliness of shaking hands with a humble little bow and a cheering smile.
Remember how at the end of a concert he would bow deeply, arms at his sides, and gesture for the orchestra to stand for applause.
He instilled respect and teamwork without being mean, always kindly. After years of happy Americana singing in elementary school, and classics in the orchestra family, I still can hardly call him anything but Mr. Sommerseth.
We would play one of the great tunes he led us in, such as Beethoven’s 5th [“Dih Dih Dih Dah!”], and when we finished the powerful music we would turn to each other in the orchestra and smile “We did that!! [Sigh of accomplishment.]”
His work for Peace & Environment [and his extensive white beard] earned him the title in some circles, of Saint Sommerseth.
He gave us a great gift, an appreciation for the Universal Language, Music. He will be missed by many, we hope to see and hear his music at the Big Dinner in the Sky.

I was a freshman playing cello in the orchestra at Sedro Woolley High School when Jerry was hired to be our orchestra director. He wasn’t much older than the rest of us. We had an excellent orchestra at SWHS for the many years he worked there.
He also became a dear family friend to the Carlos Shafer family over the many years we were all in Sedro Woolley.
He was an outstanding orchestra instructor with lots of enthusiasm and energy.
I remember when he was the music director at the Sedro Woolley Methodist Church.

One always remembers a special piano teacher. I studied with Jerry for 6 years in Jr. High and High School in the sixties. He exposed me to many of the classical composers and inspired me to continue studying at UW. JERRY was a very talented man with a great sense of humor. He was a pillar at Sedro Woolley United Methodist Church. Thank you Jerry.

28 April 2019.
For the family and friends of Jerry,
I extend my heartfelt sympathy for the loss of a musician, a leader in human rights, and a real contributor to our community.
His presence in front of the County Courthouse was an inspiration to those of us who knew him and his causes. Rain or shine, we’d see Jerry holding his sign, waving to those passing by, devoted to keeping peace as a focus for our leaders.
Cordially, Susan Redd