John Daly Cummings

John Daly Cummings

Born in Bethlehem on July 21, 1927 to Edward Mark Cummings and Aline Daly Cummings. He was married to his best friend and dearly loved Beverly Westervelt Cummings for 65 years. They have eight children, twenty two grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren. He loved his kids and particularly enjoyed camping with them at many National Parks mostly in the Rocky Mountains.

He graduated from Liberty High School in 1945 where he lettered in three sports, football, basketball and track. He received All State Mention, J. Birney Crum All opponent first team recognition in football and The Kiwanis award for Athletics and scholarship at graduation.

He served in the US Navy as a member of the crew of the Air Craft Carrier, USS Leyte.

He graduated from Lehigh University with a BS in Business Administration in 1950. He participated in football, basketball, the glee club and was a member of the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity.

He accepted employment with Bethlehem Steel as a Sales trainee, “Looper” in 1950. He advanced to Baltimore District Sales, Then to Carbon Bar Product Office Sales where he became Asst. Mgr. He was appointed District Manager of Sales in St. Louis, Mo. in 1966. He became part of Executive Sales in Bethlehem in 1973 as Asst. GM. He retired in December 1982.

John was an active member of St. Annes Catholic Church when in Bethlehem as a boy, a student and a family man. He became a lector and a cantor when changes were made in the Mass after Vatican 2. In 1990, after five years of preparation, he was ordained a permanent deacon for the Allentown Diocese by Bishop Thomas Welsh. He was assigned to St. Annes as business administrator. In 1993, Bev and Jack moved to Arizona where he was assigned as deacon at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Sun City West. They served there for 18 wonderful years. He was a member of the parish council, and the finance committee and the choir. Together they started the RCIA program to bring new people into the Church. They were active in the St. Vincent DePaul chapter where they served the needs of the poor, in this case, Mexican families most of whom did not speak English. He was a spiritual adviser to the chapter and to the Mens club.

They came home to the Lehigh Valley in February of 2011.

He was predeceased by his parents, brother, Captain Edward Mark Cummings, Jr. USN (Ret.) and a son, Edward Cummings.

He is survived by his wife, children, John D., Jr.(Jan), Baltimore, MD; Thomas R.(Laura), St. Louis, MO; Timothy E., Lubbock, TX; Susan C. Spirk (husband, Michael) Allentown, PA; Patricia C. Bold (husband, Thomas), Wakefield, RI; Richard E. (Wife, Pamela), Lompoc, CA; Michael P. (wife, Michelle), Beaumont, TX; daughter-in-law, Shirley, Doylestown, PA and a sister-in-law, (Wife Mary); Piedmont, CA.

A calling hour will be held on Thursday, October 8, 2015 at Connell Funeral Home 245 E. Broad St., Bethlehem, PA 18018 from 6-8 PM. A Memorial Mass will be held on Friday, October 9, 2015 at 10:30 AM at St. Annes Catholic Church 450 E. Washington Ave, Bethlehem, PA 18018. Burial will be for family only.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Johns name to the Boys & Girls Club of Bethlehem 1430 Fritz Drive, Bethlehem, PA 18017.

Visitation
Thursday, October 8, 2015
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Connell Funeral Home, Inc.
245 East Broad St.
Bethlehem PA 18018
US
610-868-8531

Funeral Mass
Friday, October 9, 2015
10:30 AM
St. Anne's Catholic Church
450 Washington Ave.
Bethlehem PA 18017
US

Funeral HomeConnell Funeral Home, Inc.
245 East Broad St.
Bethlehem PA - 18018
US
610-868-8531