David E. Cumming

BARRE TOWN - David E. Cumming, 83, died Saturday, January 20, 2018, at the University of Vermont Medical Center, one week after suffering a stroke at home.

David was born in Barre on October 6, 1934, the youngest son of David and J. Gertrude (Thomson) Cumming.

David was a life-long member of the Church of the Good Shepherd (Episcopal) in Barre. He attended Lincoln Graded School and graduated from Spaulding High School in 1952, maintaining several very close friendships with classmates and always looking forward to class reunions. David went directly into the workforce, beginning at the Vermont State Department of Education in Montpelier, where he worked from 1952-1957. It was there he met his future bride, Gail M. Colby. From 1957-1959 he took a leave from work and joined the US Army and was stationed in West Germany in the 7 ^th Army Headquarters. In 1959, he returned to Barre and the Education Department and completed his military obligation through the Vermont National Guard.

In June 1960, David began his 36-year-long career as the Administrative Assistant to the Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Public Safety. On September 23, 1961, David and Gail were married. They lived in Barre City, East Barre, and then Barre Town and raised two sons. David retired from his long-time position in 1996, receiving the honorary rank of Sergeant Major in a ceremony at the State House.

David was extremely active in a multitude of Masonic and associated bodies for the majority of his life. He began as a charter member of Barre’s Robert Burns Chapter, Order of DeMolay, and then was raised as a member of Granite Lodge #35, F&AM. He held many local and state-level positions in every branch and received numerous honorary awards for his decades of contributions to the craft, including Scottish Rite’s 33 ^rd degree. He and Gail made many life-long friends through the relationships they developed through Freemasonry and Eastern Star.

David’s interest in youth activities was evidenced by his many years of serving as a coach and secretary for the Green Mountain Little League and advisor for the local DeMolay chapter. He was also an avid deer hunter for many years, hunting in Orange County and the Northeast Kingdom. During the 1995 season he bagged a 10-point, 207-pound whitetail in Lewis, Vermont, that made the Vermont Big Game Trophy Award Program’s All-Time Antler Scores list. This was a great source of pride. He enjoyed trout fishing and fly fishing and became quite good at tying his own flies. David also liked following the Detroit Tigers and New England Patriots.

David and Gail enjoyed traveling around the US and Canada on many Masonic-related trips. David was very proud of his Scottish heritage, visiting Scotland three times, including a vacation there with his family. Other destinations included the US Southwest and its many canyons, Alaska, the Canadian Rockies, and the Panama Canal.

David was predeceased by his parents, his brother Robert and wife Edith (Geake), and his brother Francis.

David will be lovingly remembered by Gail, his wife of 56 years; son George, his wife Karen and grandchildren Brennan, Lauren and Connor; son Douglas, his wife Michele; niece Mary Jane, her fiancé Fred Costello; niece Isabella; sister-in-law Ana (Amor); and by multiple generations of nieces and nephews from Gail’s side of the family. His humor, playfulness, and story-telling will be especially missed. The family wishes to thank all the professionals who provided health care to David over the past several years, especially Dr. Jeremiah Eckhaus.

His funeral service will be on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. in the Church of Good Shepherd, 39 Washington Street, Barre. Family and friends may call on Friday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Hooker and Whitcomb Funeral Home, 7 Academy Street, Barre. Entombment will be in the Hooker and Whitcomb Vault to await a private burial in the spring.

Memorial contributions may be made to Granite Lodge #35, F&AM, 2 Academy Street, Barre, VT 05641 or to The Church of the Good Shepherd (Episcopal), 39 Washington Street, Barre, VT 05641.