Dr. Robert Cummings

Robert Henry Cummings was a modest man, quiet and observant in his ways. He was trustworthy and traditional in his approach to his life and in his relationships. He was tough-minded with the kind of “stick to it” attitude that earned the respect of all who knew him. He was also a man who was meticulous, carefully disciplined, and orderly in virtually everything he undertook. Realistic about life, he was always at the ready, prepared to take on responsibility.

      Bob was born on January 10, 1934 at home in Carleton Place, Ontario. His parents were William (Bill) Cummings and Hilda Johnson. Bob was raised in Carleton Place and was brought up to be self-confident and dependable. These were traits that would serve him well throughout his life.

      Growing up in the Cummings household was typical of most homes. There were good times to be had, but just as often there was a fair share of challenges as well. However, Bob was able to work through the usual family problems when they appeared, and he was the one person in the family who seemed able to keep the stress at bay. Bob was raised with three siblings. He had two brothers, Lloyd and Donald and one sister, Joan. Bob was constantly involved in activities with his brothers and sisters and had the typical rivalries while growing up, but Bob was always consistently loyal to his family.

      As a young child, Bob was never someone who needed to be the center of attention. He wasn’t pushy and never forced his way into games or other activities. Bob developed a variety of interests, though, and the things he enjoyed doing he did well. He was always curious about the world around him and was often eager to explore it. Bob took part in football, track & field and basketball. His most memorable achievement was working at Williams Drug Store in the summer. However, what Bob enjoyed most was simply playing and spending time with his many friends.

      While his teachers and even his friends generally thought of Bob as being a serious person, he managed to have a pretty good time in high school as he made that critical transition from adolescence to adulthood. He graduated from Carleton Place High School in 1952 and enjoyed some courses more than others, having favourite classes and teachers. His favourite class in high school was science. Some of his accomplishments came from playing football and track & field, getting a basketball championship, marksman RCAF and pole vaulting. Bob was a very logical person who enjoyed learning about factual information. Using his exceptional memory, he was able to learn much through observation. He always seemed to have a command of the facts and was able to make it seem as though he could easily master any problem that might be presented to him.

      College life brought with it a new set of challenges, but Bob handled them well. Being a critical thinker who always remained intellectually independent, Bob was able to focus on the task at hand in order to complete his class work. He seemed to thrive on college reading assignments, something that often bogged down his classmates. Bob was able to read the material and retain the information in a way that impressed his fellow classmates. The ability to efficiently complete the task at hand was a skill that served Bob well during his college experience. He earned his BSC at Ottawa University in 1955. He also pursued graduate school, earning his MD at Ottawa Medical School in 1959. His favourite courses was biology.

      Always considered to be a solid friend, Bob was fortunate to have numerous acquaintances and several very close friends during his life. Since he disliked making generalizations about people and preferred to draw his own conclusions based on direct observation, Bob was able to see beneath the surface of relationships and became a true friend to those who knew him. He was committed to his friends and valued the trust he placed in them. It was not uncommon for Bob to go beyond the call of duty for others, and friends frequently sought him out for advice because he had a knack for coming up with practical solutions to any type of dilemma. While growing up, some of his best friends were Ernie Stanzel and Jack Turner. Later in life, he became friends with Barry, Joe, Paul, Bill & Jane and Frank & Pat.

      On June 13, 1959 Bob exchanged wedding vows with Renee Laurette Paradis at the St. Famille Church in Ottawa, Ontario. Compassionate and devoted to Renee, Bob held endearing, traditional values about marriage and family life. He took the responsibility of marriage to heart, giving it his total commitment. He was a source of strength to Renee and using his gifts at nurturing one-on-one relationships, he worked hard to make his new family happy.

      Bob brought the same traditional values in his marriage to bear on how he raised his children. He was a good parent to them, always firm yet fair in his dealings. He would always listen carefully and think things through before he acted, even when it was an adverse situation. Bob was also a walking schedule, always seeming to know what everyone in the family needed to do, where they needed to be and when they needed to be there. Bob was blessed with four children, three sons, Dan (Sue), Kevin and Steve (Lindell), and one daughter, Karen. He was also blessed with five grandchildren, Mathew, Zachary, Cameron, Marie, Ysabel, Tyler, and great-granddaughter, Makayla.

      Bob greatly enjoyed what he did for a living. He was a hard worker who expected the same in return from his co-workers. He was skilled at working effectively, he was an efficient worker, one who paid careful attention to detail, allowing sufficient time to complete one task before moving on to the next. His primary occupation was as a Medical Doctor. He practiced medicine for over 45 years. bob worked hard to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

      Bob liked to experience things first-hand as well as learn about them. This trait carried over into his hobbies, where he was very methodical in how he organized his activities and categorized things. Since he enjoyed his private time, Bob always tried to allocate a specific time for working on his hobbies. His favourite pursuits were golfing, skiing, swimming and gardening.

      Bob found pleasure in sports. Being a person who was comfortable making win/lose decisions throughout life, he could appreciate that athletes made those types of decisions in sports. He applauded those who won, and he enjoyed the statistical data and sports facts and could find himself wrapped up in those details. In high school, Bob played basketball, football and track & field. Recreational sports included golf and skiing. He would watch his favourite sporting events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were baseball, football, hockey and golf.

      As a man who always showed great commitment to the things he believed in, it’s little wonder that Bob was so active in his community. Being practical and mentally disciplined, Bob preferred to base his decisions on first-hand experiences. Bob was never afraid to roll up his sleeves and dig right in. Bob was a member of several community groups, including serving on committees for the Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent's Kitchen and a Men's Hostel.

      Bob was a man who was dedicated and devoted to his faith. He was a member of St, Mary of the People Parish for 50 years. During that time, he was a Knights of Columbus, and he was a Chairman of the Catholic Christian Men's Organization. He was a sympathetic man who valued his beliefs and was willing to work tirelessly for them.

      Bob sought out practical solutions, not individual recognition. He was always grounded and objective, feeling a strong sense of responsibility for taking care of what needed to be done. This selfless attitude earned Bob many accolades for his efforts and achievements. His most prestigious award was being 4th degree member of the Knights of Columbus.

      Bob enjoyed travelling and taking vacations. Since he was an early starter and had a knack for planning everything, travelling with Bob appeared effortless. He enjoyed researching all of his examined options and applying cost-effective planning techniques. Plus, no matter where he travelled, Bob always had a back up plan at the ready, just in case. Favourite vacations included an Alaskan cruise, golfing in Scotland, skiing in Switzerland and visiting the United Kingdom.

      Bob was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. His family was rounded out by his dog, Tippy and his tropical fish.

      When Bob’s retirement finally arrived in 2010, he was well prepared. He always trusted and placed value in what was logical and in the things he knew, so he was very confident in planning his retirement. He had begun the process early and had his retirement all laid out well in advance. In retirement, he found new pleasure in golfing, skiing and gardening. Even in retirement, Bob continued to stay in touch with his old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. He was active in his new community and felt fulfilled.

      Robert Henry Cummings passed away on May 13, 2018 due to complications from radiation treatment for Prostate Cancer. He is survived by wife Renee, his children, Dan, Karen, Kevin and Stephen, grandchildren, Mathew, Zachary, Cameron, Marie, Ysabel, Tyler, and great-granddaughter, Makayla. Services were held at St. Mary of the People Parish. Bob was laid to rest in Resurrection Cemetery in Whitby, Ontario.

      Commitment is a key word that can be used to describe the life of Robert Henry Cummings. He was committed to living the life of a good man who was both practical and trustworthy. He was committed to the traditional values that he upheld his entire life. He committed himself to being a hard worker who expected the same effort in return from those around him. Most of all, he was committed to those he knew and loved.

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Dr. Robert Cummings

(Jan 10th, 1934 - May 13th, 2018)

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Robert Cummings on May 13th, 2018 at Lakeridge Health Center in Oshawa in his 85th year. Devoted husband of Renee Paradis for 59 years. Loving father of Dan (Sue), Karen, Kevin, and Stephen (Lindell). Beloved Grandpa of Zachary, Ysabel, Cameron, Tyler and Mathew. Great Grandpa to Makayla. He will be greatly missed by his sister Joan (Pat), and brother Rev Donald. He will be fondly remembered by many nieces, nephews, friends and colleagues. Son of the late William Cummings and Hilda Johnson, Bob was born in Carleton Place Ontario. Predeceased by his brother Rev Lloyd, 2016. Bob obtained his medical degree from Ottawa University in 1959 and was a dedicated physician, who was devoted to the care of his patients for over 40 years. He was very involved in the community, serving on many committees and boards, including President of the Medical Staff at Oshawa General Hospital, as well as Chairman of the Department of Medicine for 3 years at Oshawa General (now Lakeridge Health). In addition, he was Chairman of the Catholic Christian Men’s Organization of St. Mary’s Parish in Oshawa, and was a 4th degree member of the Knights of Columbus. He was also a volunteer at the St-Vincent kitchen in Oshawa for many years. Bob was an avid sportsman who particularly enjoyed golf, swimming, skiing, pool and table tennis. He loved gardening and taking on many home improvement projects. He will be remembered for his kind generosity and his passion for sports and love of the outdoors. Special thanks to the staff at Lakeridge Health Center in Oshawa, especially the palliative care unit, for their kindness and the wonderful care they gave to Bob during his illness. Visitation will be held at OSHAWA FUNERAL HOME, 847 King St. West (905-721-1234) on Friday May 25th from 2 pm to 4 pm and from 6 pm to 8 pm. Funeral service will be at ST. MARY OF THE PEOPLE PARISH, 570 Marion Ave in Oshawa on Saturday May 26th at 10:00 am. Internment immediately following the service at Resurrection Cemetery, 355 Taunton Rd East, Whitby. In lieu of flowers, donations to Lakeridge Health Oshawa, St-Vincent's Kitchen, or the Canadian Cancer Society would be greatly appreciated by the family. Please scroll down to make condolences.