Born in Cortland IN on December 17, 1927, he enlisted in the US Navy at age 17 to serve his country in World War II. He returned home, eventually earning a PhD from Purdue University. From Indiana he journeyed to North Carolina to raise a family and join the faculty of NC State University as a professor of Soil Science; his specialties being blueberries and peaches. His circle of friends from the Soils Dept. were very special to him and after retirement they helped him build a lakehouse on Lake Phelps, where the fishing is mighty fine.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Sumwalt Cummings, as well as his father and mother, James Elmer Cummings and Elise Marie Cummings. Also his siblings, Elizabeth M. Marshall, Martha Ruby Kator, Lorraine C. Grant and James Thomas Cummings.
He is survived by his sons, Michael James Cummings (Raleigh), Mark Bradley Cummings (Douglasville, GA), his wife, Debbie Amato, and his daughter, Cynthia Ann Ganther (Palm City, FL). He also leaves behind his two beloved grandsons, Bradley and Tyler Ganther.
George was a member of Highland United Methodist Church in Raleigh for over 60 years.
The memory of George Cummings will be celebrated with a barbeque at the family lake house on Lake Phelps this Memorial Day 2022 (contact Mark Cummings at mark.b.cummings58@gmail.com)
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the NC Agricultural Foundation in support of Soil Science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Campus, PO Box 7645 (NC State) Raleigh, NC 27695 (specify George Cummings in memo) or online at go.ncsu.edu/georgecummings.
Services provided by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 Saint Mary's St. Raleigh, NC.
