Rev. Helen Cummings

Helen Cummings 91 of Scranton died Sunday November 26 The Feast of Christ the King after an illness at Regional Hospital of Scranton. She was the widow of Robert D. Cummings who died October 26 1999. Helen was very much in love with her husband Bob (RD) from the moment she met him. They married and went on to start a family and have a beautiful life together for 47 years until his passing 24 years and 1 month ago to the day. She was the daughter of the late James and Mary Joyce Tierney. Helen was a stay at home mom in her early days who later started her organist career playing occasionally at Immaculate Conception Church Taylor eventually taking over the organist position at St. Ann’s; music was her life. She was also a member of St. Ann’s Choir playing at the Monday Novena to St. Ann and the solemn Novena in July every summer for 49 years. She played for countless weddings and funerals of family and good friends of hers and of course those she didn’t know. She was a member of St. Ann’s Basilica and devoted to her ministry where she found great joy in serving the Passionists the members of St. Ann Basilica Parish and the clients of St. Ann’s Novena. She never dreamed of retiring but with a heavy heart stepped down a few months after her 90th birthday. She wanted everyone at St. Ann’s to know how grateful she was to be able to share her talents with them. Helen enjoyed and loved every family gathering with her children and grandchildren and most recently her great granddaughter McKenzie. She enjoyed trips to the casino but also just sitting on her porch enjoying a nice summer evening with Nancy and family and any neighbors who would stop by and join for great conversations and many laughs. She was a member of LAOH as their historian who always ended the meeting with a hilarious Irish joke that left the woman in stitches. She loved her Irish heritage as she could be seen in her Irish sweaters or tops and always with an Irish pin whether shamrock or claddagh. Helen loved God her faith her children grandchildren and great grandchildren. She is survived by one son Joseph P. Cummings and wife Joann Clark’s Summit one daughter and caregiver Nancy J. Tierney and husband Bill Scranton five grandchildren Mark Cummings Jr. Daniel and Patrick Dalrymple Meghan Dixon Ciara Fowler three great grandchildren Dylan and Jordan Cummings McKenzie Dixon and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by three sons Mark R. Cummings and infants Brian and Robert one daughter Mary Dalrymple an infant daughter four sisters Alice McLaughlin Ann Pervish Elizabeth Higgins and Mary Tierney five brothers Rev. Berard Tierney C.P. James Eugene Joseph and Aloysius Tierney. A special thank you to Patty Duguay her caregiver at home of ten months. The family would like to thank the loving staff of doctors and nurses at Regional Hospital who were at her side and comforted and prayed with her as she passed. The funeral will be Monday with mass of Christian burial at 10 am in St. Ann’s Basilica. Interment Cathedral Cemetery. Friends may call Saturday from 5 to 8 Sunday from 1 to 4 and 5 to 8 at the Thomas J. Hughes Funeral Home 1240 St. Ann’s Street Scranton. Memorial contributions can be made to St. Ann’s Basilica.