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In Memorium

Henry S. C. (Pete) Cummings, Jr.

Clan Sinclair Genealogist
Died 5 March 1999

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.


From: JLG21447@aol.com
Date: Tue, 9 Mar 1999 10:33:22 EST

A salute to Pete.

He will be missed.

Johnnye


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

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

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


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.

Most of these messages were posted by their authors to the Sinclair discussion list.
If you would like to add a message, please send mail to sinclair-web@sinclair.quarterman.org.

Last changed: 00/11/04 07:40:34 [Clan Sinclair]