Somerville, Lefa M.

Lefa M. Somerville, 92, of Long View, Texas, formerly of Wyoming, died on Valentine's Day, Monday, Feb. 14, 2011, in Longview, Texas. A graveside service and burial will be held 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 21, at the Wyoming Cemetery. Lahey Funeral & Cremation Services in Wyoming is in charge of arrangements.

Lefa Mary Pash Somerville was born Sept. 23, 1918, in Coffey, Mo., to Harvey and Mamie Pash. She was raised on farms in Davies County, Mo., and Harlan, Iowa.

Lefa graduated from Harlan High School on May 25, 1936, with her twin sister, Leta May, and her future husband, Paul Wesley Somerville.

In 1942, she received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Olivet College, Bourbonnais, Ill. Paul and Lefa were married in the chapel at Olivet on Aug. 8 that same year. The young couple then set off on a life of pastoring Methodist churches in New York, Iowa, and Oklahoma until Paul's death on Christmas Eve 1995.

Lefa was a fine librarian, working at the Cresco Public Library and at school libraries in Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs and Oelwein, Iowa. She earned an advanced degree in library science from the University of Nebraska, Omaha.

She is survived by one brother, Olin Pash, Harlan, Iowa; a daughter, Phyllis Somerville, New York City; two sons and their wives, Bruce Somerville and Irene Horowitz,

Marco Island, Fla., and Stephen and Cameron Somerville, Long View, Texas; five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, the Rev. Paul Wesley Somerville; her son, Paul Lewis Somerville; her twin sister; six other sisters and six brothers.

Paul's family, the Somervilles, were always a very important part of Lefa's life.

Online condolences may be left for the family at