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In Memorium |
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Henry S. C. (Pete) Cummings, Jr. |
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| Clan Sinclair Genealogist |
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| Died 5 March 1999 |
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Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1999 15:49:21 EST
It is with a heavy heart that I announce that my brother, Henry S. C. (Pete)
Cummings, Jr. died peaceable Friday in his sleep while vacationing with his
wife Barbie in Florida.
You all were a significant part of his life. He gave much to our knowing our
ancestry, especially the Smiths in New England, Cummingses and the Sinclairs
in Scotland. His many writings and participation in the
Sinclair Symposium,
Prince Henry Sinclair Anniversary and others will be with us forever.
May he rest in peace knowing he touched each one of us in a profound way.
Peace and Grace,
Linc Cummings
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From: Selvermj@aol.com
Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1999 07:46:20 EST
It is with great sadness that I post this to inform you that Pete Cummings
passed away last week. Barbie believes he suffered a heart attack in his
sleep. Funeral arrangements have been made for Wednesday, March 10 at the
First Congregational Church in Holden, MA. Barbie's mailing address is:
P.O. Box 158
Worcester, MA 01613
Pete was very special to all of us and he will be greatly missed. Please
remember Barbie and her family in your hearts and prayers.
Mary Selver
Clan Sinclair
Secretary/Treasurer
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From: "Neil Sinclair/Peggy Rintoul" <rinsin@globalserve.net>
Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1999 09:38:10 -0500
Fellow clan members;
It is said that sad news travels quickly and it seems that such is
the case
this morning.. Mary, I thank you for sharing the sad news that Pete
Cummings
passed away. I had the wonderful opportunity to get to know him through
his web
site, this list and through mailing but I regret I was not able to make
it to
Massachussetts last year to meet him in person.
He certainly was a passionate, caring thoughtful individual that
loved
history, the sense of community and family and the importance of
connecting the
past and the present out of the strong belief that all people,
both
both those living and those who have passed away, are connected.
He believed that clans and families are important and that what
unites each
of us to one another is stronger that what separates us. During his
lifetime he
advanced an understanding of academic history and social importance of
families
in a way that will endure. I am sad at the news and will miss dialogues
with him
by email. My sympathies will be passed on directly to the family. Thank
you for
sharing this information Mary so that each of us can express our
gratitude and
loss.
A Personal Memoriam:
"Commit thy work to God " were not just words with you Pete.
We remember you, in deepest thanks, Pete Cummings, for the
many ways
you shared your heart and passions freely and with the sense of making a
wholehearted contribution to others.
We salute your leadership in, and for, your greater extended family
around
the world.
We have been enriched by your many examples of thoughtful
intelligence.
God bless Barbie and your family.
Know that through the generations your contribution will be
remembered and
shall go on.
With honour we salute you.
Neil Sinclair-Toronto
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From: "Neil Sinclair/Peggy Rintoul" <rinsin@globalserve.net>
Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1999 09:38:29 -0500
Fellow members;
I was requested to share the information that Clan Sinclair - Canada
through Rory Sinclair Sec-Tres. will be attending at the Funeral for
Pete Cummings. He passes on these kind words this morning;
"The Funeral will be in Holden Mass. on Wednesday 10th March at 1:00. I
will be there for Clan Sinclair Association, Canada and will, I am told,
be asked to do some piping. Can you notify Toni and the Sinclair
discussion group? Pete was an amazing catalyst for the idea that
genealogy could tie us all together. The hard part will be to get
someone to go through what he has, make sense of it and then keep on
with it."
For those who can't make it to the funeral, joining you with our silent
prayers at 1:00 Wenesday will be a meaningful contribution.
Thank you;
Neil Sinclair Toronto
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From: "John S. Quarterman" <jsq@quarterman.org>
Date: Mon, 08 Mar 1999 10:07:33 -0600
A collection of messages sent in commemoration of Pete Cummings is in
http://sinclair.quarterman.org/pete.html
I never met the man face-to-face, but several of my immediate family did,
and they were all impressed with him.
Through working with Pete over the Internet on his
600th Anniversary
Celebration News for the past few years, and through corresponding
about genealogy and books, I came to know his tenacity in exploring
family matters, in promoting them through gatherings, symposia,
and his newsletter, and in publishing proceedings and genealogical
books, as well as in making other people's books available.
He did those things in a level-headed, friendly, and generous manner.
I will miss him.
John Sinclair Quarterman
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From: "Jean Grigsby" <jgrigsby@bcni.net>
Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1999 13:28:05 -0800
The news about Pete has been devastating. Pete and I go back to the old
days when he and Marion Loeschner carried the burdon of documentation of
the clan Sinclair alone. We have corresponded, both by phone & letter
many times. We may not have always agreed on things but I know we
always reached an amicable conclusion.
His last letter to me was so full of good new with relation to his heart
problems that it was a total shock. The names of David Bouchour, Pete
Cummings, and Marion Loeschner will always be synonymous with the name
Sinclair in my heart and in my works. Our approaches may differ but our
goals have always been the same - to preserve the history of our family.
Pete did his share and oh, so much more than his share!!
May God be with his family.
Jean Grigsby
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Date: Tue, 9 Mar 1999 08:20:11 -0500 (EST)
From: asflwr@cujo2.icom.ca (Antonia Sinclair)
To Rebecca, and the rest of the Sinclair cousins
I join you all in feeling sadness at Pete Cummings death. His enthusiasm and
dedication to furthering Clan Sinclair history and the Prince Henry saga will
long be remembered. I'm so glad that Rory S. will attend the funeral on behalf
of the Canadian brannch of the Clan. I've heard him play the pipes many times,
and I know he'll do us all proud.
Coincidentally, I corresponded with Pete last week,to see if we could meet
together with Rebecca while we were both in Florida, to have a "southern
gathering". However, he would be heading back north about the same time as we
were driving south. Sadly, "Maybe next year" won't happen either.
Let's hope we all live up to his standard of honour. The question was raised:
What makes a true Sinclair? I think he's your answer.
Toni
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From: "Spirit One Email" <laurel@spiritone.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Mar 1999 08:20:16 -0800
Our dear friend, Pete Cummings
So many of you knew Pete better and longer than I. A couple of years
ago, we began a correspondence concerning my role here in the NW during the
planning of the 600th Celebration. He gave me much guidance and
encouragement as we exchanged ideas and plans. Immediately, I sensed that
he was a kind, considerate "kindred spirit" in the area of Sinclair history.
Then through the months I tried to picture him and when it became
possible to go back to the celebration, I could hardly believe that at last
I could meet Pete and Barbie. Those days were so full of great memories but
what stands above all else was his gentle smile and his graciousness.
Many of you may not know that he, as Clan Genealogist, was the guiding
spirit of the 600th celebration through his gift for organization. He lit
the murkey hallways to the past and illuminated Prince Henry, his ancestors,
and descendants through his wonderful articles in pamphlets, the 600th
newsletters, Yours Aye, and his books. He gave so unselfishly of his time
and resources to build a strong Sinclair base of information for all the
future Sinclair/St. Clair researchers and seekers of history.
I sure will miss ...My Friend, Pete Cummings.
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From: JLG21447@aol.com
Date: Tue, 9 Mar 1999 10:33:22 EST
A salute to Pete.
He will be missed.
Johnnye
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From: "Jenny-Louise Coster" <jennycoster@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 09 Mar 1999 11:04:31 PST
I to would like to express my saddness of hearing of Pete Cummings
death. Although I never had the chance to meet Pete he became a familiar
person to me through his help and the list. He is a very sad loss to so
many. It is people like Pete who devote themselves so much to helping
others that make those of us so far away in New Zealand etc feel a part
of the list.
My thoughts are with his family,
Sincerely,
Jenny Coster,
North canterbury , New Zealand
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From: Laurie Sinclair <laurie.sinclair@ucr.edu>
Date: Tue, 9 Mar 1999 11:11:38 -0800
Because of this discussion group, I was able to locate a "cousin" three
generations removed... and this cousin shared with me the extensive
research of Pete Cummings which reveals the fact that we are direct
descendants of Prince Henry. I will be forever grateful to Mr. Cummings
for his diligence in tracing this genealogical information, and for all he
has done to help other Sinclairs in discovering their ancestors. He will
surely be missed, not only as a valuable contributor to this discussion
group, but by all who knew him.
Annie Laurie Sinclair
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From: Kenneth Gunn <gunn@upc.qc.ca>
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 22:38:16 +0400
We were deeply saddened to learn that Pete Cummings had passed away. We
only knew him since last year but considered him as a friend.
He provided us with invaluable information regarding the 600th
Anniversary Celebrations, although he must have been very busy at the
time. Thanks to him, we had a most enjoyable trip to the games at Loon
Mountain and at the festivities at Westford.
Since then, we had been communicating, via e-mail, regarding the
connections between the Sinclair and Gunn clans. We will miss him!
Edward and Louise Gunn
Quebec City, Canada
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From
The Family Tree, June/July 1999, Page 12 Section A,
``Flowers of the Forest.''
Henry ``Pete'' Cummings, Jr., 70, of Worcester, Massachusetts,
died March 5, 1999 while on vacation in Sanibel, Florida.
Mr. Cummings was Chairman of the Board of Lowell Corp.
in West Boylston, a 125 year old family-owned company.
He was a member of the First Congregational Church where
at various times he served as trustee, council member
and chairman of the planning committee.
He was also a former trustee and fundraising member for the
Worcester Area Council of Churches.
Cummings was a veteran of the Korean War.
He served many organizations including Becker College,
Boy Scouts of America, YMCA, Rotary, Heart Association,
Mental Health, etc.
He was a Mason and a member of the Brooking Lodge
and 32nd Degree Scottish Rite.
He coauthored a book on the history of his hometown
and was the author of several genealogy books.
Mr. Cummings was also genealogist for the Scottish Clan Sinclair
and headed its 600th anniversary celebration.
He was a guest and speaker at the 1998 Scottish Weekend
in Moultrie and a great friend of the Odom Library and
The Family Tree.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara Siegars Cummings,
sons, David S. Cummings of Princeton and Stephen J. Cummings
of Middlefield, Massachusetts; daughter, Janet C. Donnelly
of Canton, two brothers, John M. Cummings of Kennebunk, Maine,
and Lincoln C. Cummings in Arlington, Virginia.
He was born in Middlefield, son of Henry S. C. and Dorothy
Smith Cummings.
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