Leon H. Somerall

Leon H. Somerall passed away on February 1, 2015 at Conestoga View Nursing Home in Lancaster, PA at the age of 95. He was the son of the late Susie Mae Hanks Somerall and James Elhannon Somerall. Born in rural Alabama, in Evergreen, Conecuh County on May 28, 1919, Leon was one of five siblings growing up on a 160 acre cotton farm during the Great Depression. He began his career in computers, data collection, and systems engineering at the Pentagon in WWII, working with IBM’s early tabulating machines. He was part of the team that finished the UNIVAC project. His career took him to New Orleans, Asheville, NC, Washington, DC on multiple occasions, Germany, New Castle, PA and finally to Lancaster. Here, as a Systems Engineer, he established Eastern Systems Management, Inc., a software firm specializing in custom manufacturing software. He remained president of ESMI for more than 40 years. His success can be attributed to his unwavering optimism and self-education in computer and software technologies, coupled with his broad experience in manufacturing and inventory control. He is survived by his daughter, Rebecca Somerall, wife of Gerald S. Weiss of Lancaster, his daughter in-law Dolores Dougherty Somerall and her son Patrick and family; and his step children: Dr. Byron and Pam Marsh and family of Easley, SC; Kurt Bergey and family of Lancaster, and Krista Bergey Schiano, wife of Gary Schiano and family of Newark, DE. He was predeceased by his first wife, Julia Wilkerson and his son, Leon H. Somerall, Jr. (Hanks), his second wife, Ruth P. Marsh and his third wife, Elizabeth Neapolitan Bergey. A celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, February 14, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. at The Groffs Family Funeral Home at 528 W. Orange Street (corner of Pine & Orange Sts.) Lancaster, PA. The family will greet friends from 1:00 p.m. until the time of service. A private interment will be held at the convenience of the family. Please omit flowers. Donations can be made in Leon’s memory to The Thaddeus Stevens Foundation - In memory of Leon H. Somerall, 750 East King Street, Lancaster, PA 17602. Attn: L.H. Somerall – Computer Science Department. Their family expresses their most sincere thanks to the 6th floor staff at Conestoga View Nursing Home where he received outstanding care and made lots of new friends.

Leon H. Somerall

February 6, 2015