John Cummings

John William Cummings' 75 years of life took him from the city of Chicago, through battles of the Korean War, and into the classrooms of Western Michigan University . Throughout those 75 years, John served his country as a courageous sailor, his community as a respected teacher, and his family as a loving and devoted son and husband.

Chicago in the 1930s brings visions of bootleggers and gangsters. It was a time of Prohibition and Al Capone, and the setting for many future movies and television shows. Shows like "Elliot Ness" and the movie The Sting, were set in Chicago in the 1930s. For baseball fans, the Chicago Cubs were in rare form. In 1930, Hack Wilson hit RBIs 190 and 191 - a major league record that still stands today. Chicago was a great city in 1930.

For William Leo and Mary Catherine (O'Connor) Cummings, Sr., life in Chicago centered on raising their three boys, and William's career in semi professional baseball. Living on the northwest side of the windy city, on a blustery January 18, 1930, Mary gave birth to a fourth son, John William.

Eventually there were five boys in the Cummings household - Edwin, William Jr., Joseph, John and Robert. With four brothers, John was never at a loss for a playmate - or teammate. He had a natural talent for athletics, and his father thought this son showed great promise as a baseball player. John loved sports, especially baseball, and it was a love that stayed with him all his life.

John attended Lane Technical High School in Chicago, one of the city's oldest and most respected schools. After graduating in 1947, he went to work for the Commonwealth Edison Power Company in the city. He soon joined the Naval Reserves, and as the Korean War heated up, John was activated and served on the aircraft carrier USS Leyte. In August 1950, the Leyte was sent to Korea to augment Naval forces. She operated off Korea from October 1950 into January 1951, providing nearly 4000 aircraft sorties to support UN forces ashore. John often told the story of how more troops were needed on land. He was handed a gun - never having had any firearms training - and sent ashore.

When his tour of duty had ended, John went back to school, earning degrees from Lewis University , located just south of Chicago, and Northeastern University . He found a position with McDonnell Douglas Aircraft in St. Louis and lived in an apartment building along with other young professionals. One of the apartments in the building had three young women living in it - and they had a new thing called a television. One day, while John was watching this new television, one of the roommates - Helen Raymond - walked in to find a strange man sitting in her living room, watching her TV. This unusual introduction led to a wonderful relationship and on August 29, 1959, Helen and John were married.

With his engineering degree in hand, John went from McDonnell Douglas back to Lewis University , as an instructor in the Aviation School . When the school burned, the university showed no signs of rebuilding right away. John needed a job so in 1962, he and Helen moved to Kalamazoo where he began teaching at Western Michigan University . He taught in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences until his retirement in 1990.

When not busy teaching, John and Helen loved to travel. They had toured the United States and Canada extensively, and even went south of the border to enjoy the warmth and beauty of Mexico and the Caribbean Islands .

Staying closer to home, John and Helen bought a cottage in central western Michigan , complete with a big garage. John loved to putter in his garage, both at the cottage and at home. Sports had remained a big part of his life and he watched any and all sports on his "own" television. He was also a voracious reader, keeping up on all the trade publications in his field - and reading anything else he could get his hands on.

Honorable, patriotic, and respected best describe John Cummings. He had a lifelong passion for baseball, but found the greatest joy in the presence of his loved ones. He will be greatly missed.

John Cummings, age 75, died July 21, 2005 at Wood Hills Assisted Living Center in Kalamazoo . Learn more about John, view his Life Story film and visit with his family and friends Monday from 12 noon to 1 pm at the Betzler Life Story Funeral Home, Stadium Drive, West of 131 where a funeral service will be held at 1pm with Fr. Allan Jorgensen, officiating. Entombment will follow at Mt. Ever-Rest Cemetery. John was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Edwin and William Jr. and one sister-in-law, Cecilia. He is survived by his loving wife Helen of Kalamazoo, 2 brothers: Joseph Cummings and Robert (Sue) Cummings all of Prospect Heights, IL and 5 nieces, 4 nephews and their children. Please visit John's personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a favorite memory, sign the guest book, or make a memorial contribution to the WMU Foundation/College of Aviation or the Kalamazoo Humane Society.