Eugene Ray Cummings

On Monday, June 18, 2012, Eugene "Jackie" R. Cummings passed away peacefully at home, after a long battle with congestive heart failure. He met his wife of 64 years, the former Elsie Marie Campitella, in Washington, D.C., and they were married on Aug. 9, 1948. Mr. Cummings was born in the Chandler's Branch area of Spring Hill, W.Va., on June 4, 1928, and grew up in Mount Hope, W.Va. He served in the Merchant Marine and the U.S. Army before beginning his career with the Bureau of Printing and Engraving. He worked both at the Washington Evening Star newspaper, and later on Capitol Hill as a proofreader for legislation coming from the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, chaired by Sen. Frank Church and Sen. John Heinz. He was a member of Columbia Typographical Union 101, American Legion Post 176, Elks Lodge 875, the Eagles, and a lifetime member of the Loyal Order of Moose in Fredericksburg. He loved to golf and was a master pool player. He loved music, especially country and the Grand Ole Opry. His sense of humor was legendary and was present even on the last days of his life. From 1953 to 2004, he lived in the Northern Virginia suburbs. After retirement, he lived in Titusville, Fla.; Weyers Cave; Fredericksburg; and from 2004 to the present, in Madison, Ala. Survivors include his beloved wife, Elsie, and four children, Gail (Bob) Buchanan of Herndon, John (Barbara) Cummings of Guntersville, Ala., Charles Cummings of Falls Church and Jeanne Cummings of Hoover, Ala. He is also survived by three grandchildren, Joseph, Michael (Kim) and Elizabeth; and seven great-grandchildren, Jacob, Kayla, Katy, Rachel, Annabel, Tara and Hannah. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to noon Monday, June 25, at Mullins and Thompson Funeral Service, 1621 Jefferson Davis Highway, Fredericksburg. The service will follow at noon, with burial at 2 p.m. in Culpeper National Cemetery, 305 U.S. Ave., Culpeper, Va. 22701. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association in memory of Eugene R. Cummings.