OGDEN, Utah — Peery’s Egyptian Theatre is a landmark in Ogden, but it was boarded up in the 1980s and almost demolished until Van Summerill stepped up and decided to save it.
"I don’t know that we'd have Peery's Egyptian Theatre today without Van's voice,” said Kassi Bybee, general manager of Ogden Eccles Conference Center and Peery's Egyptian Theatre.
Van was a lifelong Ogdenite and loved movies. He used to visit Peery’s Egyptian Theatre as a kid.
"He started off as a ticket taker, worked his way up various roles and was just always a part of the theatre until it eventually was no longer sustainable,” said Ryan Summerill, Van Summerill's nephew. “The multiplexes and the malls had a bigger draw, and the Egyptian Theatre really struggled with finding its place, and eventually closed."
"It was dirty, chairs were not where they should be, there was holes in the ceiling — it was just a mess,” said Jay Cannon, another nephew of Van's.
Van couldn't see it go, so he started "Friends of Peery's Egyptian Theatre" to try to save the place he loved so much.
"He was doing bake sales and selling t-shirts and 5k runs, everything that he could do to raise funds to help bring awareness and save this beautiful theatre,” Bybee said.
It took 12 years, but Van did it — in 1997, he helped restore Peery's Egyptian Theatre.
"Now looking at it, it’s a masterpiece. Just walking in and seeing, I'm proud of what my uncle did,” Cannon said.
The theater is an icon in Ogden.
"Get the next generation ready to enjoy these things and preserve these things and share them with the future,” said Ryan.
On March 17, Van passed away. He was 81 years old. On Monday, loved ones gathered to celebrate his life at the place he loved so dearly.
"This is just a culmination of his life's work, it just means that we can get together as a family for any events, and remember Uncle Van,” Ryan said.
People shared memories of Van, so his legacy will never be forgotten. "Come up and see the wonderful things that happen in this theatre,” added Bybee.
