Summerville, Willie (1944-2017) | University of Illinois Archives

Willie Thomas Summerville (1944-2017) was born in Sunshine, Arkansas, the son of Moses and Lenora Summerville. He attended T.W. Daniel High School in Crossett, Arkansas, where he participated in both the chorus and band, graduating in 1962. Following this, Summerville was admitted to Arkansas AM&N College, a historically Black college which is now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Here he served as a drum major in the marching band. After graduating in 1966, he had the opportunity to teach at Tuskegee University, but instead came to the University of Illinois, performing tuba in the Marching Illini and singing in both the men's concert choir and Black Chorus. He graduated with his Masters in Music Education in 1967.

Summerville taught for over 30 years in the Champaign and Urbana public school systems including posts as a general music teacher at Thornburn School and Brookens Junior High, as the Choral Music Director of the Urbana Middle School 8th Grade Chorus, and finally as the Director of the Urbana High School Concert Choir. He took the Urbana Concert Choir to Rome in 1999 and to Carnegie Hall in 2002. He also frequently led workshops and music clinics in Churches and Schools across the country. After retiring from public school teaching in 2005, he taught courses at Parkland College, Millikin University, and the University of Illinois within the African American Studies department. An active member and deacon of the Canaan Baptist Church in Urbana, Summerville served the Baptist community in many roles including treasurer and Minister of Music. He received numerous awards and other recognitions throughout his life, both for his music education and for his community service. Summerville died in Urbana on March 7, 2017.

Department of African American Studies, In Memoriam: Wille T. Summerville (2017): https://afro.illinois.edu/currently-offered-courses/memoriam

Tim Ditman, "Local Choral Legend Dies at 72" Champaign News Gazette (March 8, 2017, updated June 26, 2019): https://www.news-gazette.com/news/updated-local-choral-legend-dies-at-72/article_6a9531ce-a53b-5e97-84d3-3464540ae6ac.html

Linda Zimmerman, "Getting Personal with UI Instructor Willie T. Summerville," Champaign News-Gazette (September 20, 2009, updated June 25, 2019): https://www.news-gazette.com/news/getting-personal-ui-instructor-willie-t-summerville/article_069e000a-9628-500f-822c-c0033c9811d7.html