Don E. Cummins

Don E. Cummins was born in Evansville, Wyoming and reared in Tacoma, Washington. He was a proud graduate of Stadium High School, served in the National Guard of the State of Washington and was discharged, honorably, to enlist in the Army, in which he completed the Medical Laboratory Enlisted Course and related training, and served in Korea. He subsequently, after being honorably discharged from the Army, enlisted in the Air Force and lived several years in Washington, DC, assigned to the hospital at what was then called Andrews Air Force Base.

After being honorably discharged from the Air Force he worked as a lab technician at Hadley Memorial Hospital and subsequently changed careers, eventually moving to Maryland and obtaining a Real Estate Broker license and managing large apartment complexes in Washington, DC and Maryland for two local companies over the years.

Inevitably, Don became a fan of the storied NFL team in Washington, DC, which brought him much joy (and equal frustration on certain Sundays and the occasional weekday), and the Washington Senators, before their defection and reincarnation as the Minnesota Twins (with less of the aforementioned joy).

Don was ordained a deacon of the Catholic church on June 14, 1975 and was initially assigned to St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish in Indian Head, MD. In addition to liturgical responsibilities, he helped open a St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in Glymont, MD.

After his return to Tacoma in 1983, Don was resident manager of the Buckingham Apartments on N Yakima Avenue  and started attending St. Patrick Catholic Church, where he was to eventually serve as a deacon, ministering at Tacoma General Hospital and supporting the Tacoma St. Vincent de Paul thrift store.

Ultimately retiring as a property manager from a local real estate company, Don enjoyed several years of retirement, rooting for the Seahawks and Mariners (see also the reference to frustration above, but add more weekdays), in addition to that other, other Washington NFL  team, and taking up a model train hobby, often accompanied by Daisy, a well-pampered brown Dachshund. He most recently resided in a retirement community in Lynnwood, WA, where he enjoyed daily walks, and certain offered activities that typically included food or beverages, for two years in order to be close to immediate family.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Marcella F. (Schafer), parents, Elmer C. and Veva J. (Galusha), sister Janice K. (McAllister) and brothers Carl, James A. and Delbert N.; son-in-law Roger W. Lego;  pets Duchess, of Maryland, and Daisy Dachshund; baseball team, Washington Senators; civility.

Don is survived by his siblings Bernice Piety and William R., daughters Julie M. and Therese K. (Lego); daughter-in law Gayle Y. (Hirata), son Michael A., granddaughter Emily M.; grandsons Eric W. (wife Reka) and Shawn M. (wife Jaime) Lego; great grandchildren Ashlyn, Carina, Shyanne, Sienna, Kaydon and Logan Lego, and Izzabella and Joshua Grubb.

The funeral and internment are private. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to St. Vincent de Paul.

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