Birth date: May 5, 1967 Death date: Jul 10, 2026
Vanessa Tiana Sommerfeld lived a life marked by generosity, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to the people she loved. If there is one word that best describes Vanessa, it is selfless. She would have given anyone the shirt Read Obituary
Ms. Sommerfeld was like a second mother to me. (Well, maybe more like a 3rd or 4th mother after my stepmom and aunt.) She held her beliefs strongly and courageously, and truly believed in her students to change the world for the better. If it weren’t for her, I probably wouldn't have the tools I needed to start studying neuroscience. I think the best thing she did for me was that, when I got put in ISS after some bizarre circumstances, she came to make sure I was ok. She hugged me and told me it would be ok, and I cried because I was scared and hurting. I think she really got me through my senior year. And I hope one day I can achieve things that she'd be proud of looking down at us from Heaven.
Reading former students’ and colleagues’ comments on her tribute page is a lasting testament to Vanessa’s impact on them. I have known her since the 6th grade and spoke with her via text and phone only a couple of years back about her students and life in general. What an amazing person she was and she loved her daughter unconditionally. Our heartfelt condolences are with all of you.
I had her as my forensics teacher my junior year, she was so kind,patient, and understanding when it came to how my mental health affected my grades. I genuinely enjoyed her class and her spunky vibe she brought with her. She will be missed.
I had Ms. Sommerfeld, or how I would call and spell, Ms. Summerfield as a teacher. She was just like her name a summer field full of radiating sunshine and a field full of flowers. I would use to think she would make her class as easy as possible just for us to think we were smart, any time a student or myself would get lower than a 100 she would ask if everything was alright or if she could help with our understanding of the material. She would laugh with us or make us laugh, she would even cry with us, she so open with which let us to be open with her, she was like a warm place in winter. I still remember how on our first day of junior year, the first thing she told us was that she would miss certain days because her daughter, Sam, had volleyball and she wouldn’t miss it for anything! May she remain in our hearts and may we never forget her kindness.
Once upon a time, Vanessa was a pharmaceutical rep and I was lucky enough to be her partner! We became fast friends. She loved her daughter, Samantha, so very much, and I loved watching her grow up through Facebook! My prayers are with you all. She will be missed greatly.
May the peace that surpasses all of our understanding guard the hearts and minds of your loved ones. Thank you for sharing your light.
Ms. Sommerfeld was the most sweetest teacher I've had in a long time! She made A&P easy and fun, and i am truly blessed to have the honor of being in her class. Ms. sommerfeld will be missed, and treasured deeply into everyones heart at Pine Tree High School.
Ms Sommerfeld was one of my absolute favorite teachers in high school. I had the honor of being a student in her forensics science class, where I learned many things science related, but more importantly what it meant to have passion. Ms Sommerfeld taught with the most sincere spirit there is. She treated every student with kindness and respect, no matter the circumstance. Additionally, her students had the opportunity to witness firsthand how much of a lover of animals she was! Having her iguana, Mcafree in the classroom frequently made our class time just that much better. I’ll never forget how Ms Sommerfeld was absent from school for several days because Mcafree had gotten loose. That’s just one example of the type of heart that she had.
Love, Vashayla Charvis
