R.B. Summitt was married to Pat Summitt for 27 years before they divorced in April 2008. (Handout/Sevier County Bank)
Pat Summitt married her ex-husband R.B. Summitt on August 23, 1980. She filed for divorce in 2007, a week shy of their 27th wedding anniversary. The divorce was finalized on April 28, 2008.
R.B. Summitt worked for Sevier County Bank for 34 years. He is the father of son Tyler Summitt, the only child of his and Pat’s family.
Here’s what you need to know about R.B:
1. Pat Summitt Cited ‘Irreconcilable Differences’ in Her Divorce to R.B. Summitt
Pat Summitt filed for divorce from her husband just before the couple celebrated their 27th wedding anniversary, citing irreconcilable differences. (Getty)
R.B. Summitt married Patricia Sue Head on August 23, 1980. The ceremony took place at Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church near Clarksville, Tennessee where Pat grew up, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel.
Pat Summitt filed for divorce in August 2007, a week before their 27th wedding anniversary. The couple had been separated since March of that year and they finalized their divorce on April 28, 2008, according to USA Today.
At the time of the divorce, their son Tyler was 17 years old and custody wasn’t an issue. He was already living with his mother. Pat’s lawyer said at the time of her filing the paperwork, the biggest issue would be division of property, but that information was never released.
2. Summitt’s Son Tyler Resigned His Coaching Position After Having an Improper Relationship at Lousiana Tech
Tyler Summitt resigned from his head coaching position at Louisiana Tech after engaging in an inappropriate relationship. (Getty)
R.B. and Pat Summitt welcomed their only child, son Tyler, on September 21, 1990. He grew up in the gym and on the road with his mother, and later became a student assistant coach for her at UT. He got his first official assistant coaching job for the women’s team at Marquette University before taking the head coaching job at Lousiana Tech.
Summitt resigned from his position as head coach of the Lady Bulldogs basketball team after engaging in an inappropriate relationship that was never specified. The school was investigating the relationship when Summitt resigned.
Summitt married his high school sweetheart, Anne Dennis “AnDe” Ragsdale on June 1, 2013. The couple have no children and were living in Ruston, Louisiana, where Louisiana Tech is located, at the time of his resignation.
3. He Served as the President of Sevier County Bank, a Position His Father Also Held
R.B. Summitt received the Distinguished Service award from the Tennessee Bankers Association Board of Directors. (Handout/Sevier County Bank)
Summitt began his career at Sevier County Bank in 1978. Prior to that, he worked for Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions for four years straight out of college, according to his LinkedIn profile.
During his time at Sevier County Bank, he served multiple positions including president, and remained on the board of directors after his retirement. He said in his retirement statement:
Not many have been so blessed to have had a lifetime career at one wonderful, supportive business like Sevier County Bank. I am humbled to have had a small part in helping our employees, customers and communities grow and prosper… I’m looking forward to having more time for my family, friends, faith and just fun in general.
4. Summitt Was a ‘Longtime Fixture’ Watching His Wife Coach at the University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee named Pat Summitt the head coach of the Lady Vols before the 1974-1975 season when the previous head coach unexpectedly quit. She served the position for 38 seasons until she retired in 2012 due to her battle with early onset dementia, “Alzheimer’s Type.”
During their marriage, R.B. Summitt was a “longtime fixture at games,” according to ESPN. He supported the women’s basketball program at UT and the women pursuing the game.
5. He Graduated from University of Tennessee with a Degree in Microbiology
Summitt served as the treasurer for the non-profit organization, Discover Life in America. (Facebook/Discover Life in America)
Summitt attended college at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and graduated Cum Laude with a major in microbiology and a minor in psychology. Instead of pursuing a career in his chosen field, he went to work for the Sevier County Bank where his father Ross B. Summitt was the president.
He got back to nature, serving as a board member for Discover Life in America, a small non-profit organization based in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. He was the board’s treasurer for six years between 2008 and 2014, according to his LinkedIn profile.
