Connie Cummings

Constance "Connie" Mary Cummings, 102, formerly of Davenport, died Friday, October 11, 2024, at the Azria Health Prairie Ridge in Mediapolis.

Born June 9, 1922, in Burlington, she was the daughter of Leon Raymond and Florence Rose Bulger Cummings.

She was a 1940 graduate of St. Paul's Catholic High School. At age 26 she went to Marycrest College and graduated in 1952.

Connie worked for Northwestern Bell Phone Company, Catholic Social Service of Rock Island, taught fourth grade for one year at St. Patrick's Grade School, and taught second grade at McKinley Elementary School in Davenport for 24 years. She retired in 1987.

She was a member of St. Paul's Apostle Catholic Church in Davenport, currently a member of Divine Mercy Parish and the retired Teachers Association. She enjoyed watching golf, tennis, and college sports. Connie also enjoyed sewing, playing piano for her own enjoyment, cooking and enjoyed long walks even in her 90's. 

If you would ask Connie Cummings what it was like to grow up in a family of eleven children, she would probably emphasize both fun and responsibility. The seven girls and four boys in Connie's family rarely needed to seek entertainment elsewhere, since several of them were usually on hand to share in golf, ice skating, swimming, tennis, or any of the other sports they enjoyed so much. When Connie was eleven, her mother died, but so thoroughly had she trained her children to share the chores and responsibilities of running a household that the family survived and thrived despite the fact that their father's job sometimes took him away from home for several days at a time.

After her work at Catholic Social Services, Connie returned to Burlington to serve as Father Quinlan's housekeeper at St. Patrick's Church. Despite the fact that her mother had been a teacher, Connie had never seriously considered going into the field of education until Fr. Quinlan needed a teacher for St. Patrick's School.

Connie obligingly obtained her teaching certificate and accepted the challenge. The combined jobs of housekeeper and educator, however, proved to be too heavy a load, and since Father decided he needed a housekeeper even more than a teacher, Connie retained that job and substituted for the Mercy sisters at the school when needed.

When Connie came back to Davenport in 1962, she accepted a position to teach second grade at McKinley School. During the twenty years that followed, Connie took a one year sabbatical to obtain her master's degree at Marquette University in Milwaukee.

Connie's interests and hobbies are varied as noted in her obituary. Travel also figured into Connie's leisure time after retirement. She made two trips to Ireland with many visits in private homes. With such a wide background, it is little wonder that Connie maintained a fresh and enthusiastic approach to her work and to life in general.

Connie's family would like to thank the Azria Prairie Ridge staff and SE Iowa Regional Home Health & Hospice staff for their compassionate care for Connie during her last year. Their care enriched her life.

Her family includes numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, four brothers, Thomas, Hugh, Jim, and John Cummings; six sisters, Kathleen Parmeter, Alice Luers, Rosemary Korb, Jean Ertz, Anne Smith, and Elizabeth Passamani; half-brother, Leon Raymond Jr.; step-sister, Lillian Johnson. 

Visitation will be from noon until 6:00 PM with the family to receive friends following a 3:00 PM Rosary Service until 6:00 PM, Friday, October 18, 2024, at Prugh Funeral Service, 3940 Division Street.

The Funeral Mass of the Resurrection for Ms. Cummings will be 11:00 AM Saturday, October 19, 2024, at Divine Mercy Parish-St. John the Baptist Catholic Church with Fr. Jake Greiner as the Celebrant. Burial will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery.  A time of food and fellowship will be held at St. John's Cafeteria following the burial. 

A memorial has been established for Birth Right of Davenport.

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