Barbara J. Cummings

Barbara Jane (Lewis) Cummings, 84, of Storrs, passed away peacefully at her home on July 2, 2013. Barbara was born at home in Hampton, CT on September 21, 1928 to John and Lucy (Hopkins) Lewis. She graduated from Windham High School in 1947. The next September, Barbara enrolled in the LPN program in New Britain, CT and then continued her training at Windham Community Memorial Hospital where she lived on the hospital campus. She met the love of her life, Merrill Cummings and they married on October 31, 1953. Barbara left her nursing career in 1956 to raise two children. She worked in the Mansfield hot lunch program while her children were in school. Barbara cared for Merrill's father and later her mother in their Storrs home for many years. Barbara and Merrill were active in the Mansfield Senior Center and enjoyed many trips including to Alaska and Hawaii. Barbara loved her plastic canvas needlework and knitting projects that she donated to the annual Senior Center Bazaar. Barbara was predeceased by her only sibling, Gardner Lewis. She is survived by her husband of nearly 60 years, Merrill Cummings; her daughter Jane Cornell and husband Ben of Hampton, CT and son John Cummings and his wife Isabelle of Middlesex , NJ; two grand children, Scott Cornell and his wife Kristy of Hampton and Jennie Cornell and her fiancAC.e Marshall McKenna of Hampton; and two great grandsons, Dillon and Devin Cornell of Hampton. Her family will receive relatives and friends on Sunday July 7, 2013 between 2:00 and 4:00pm at Potter Funeral Home 456 Jackson St. (Rte. 195) Willimantic. The funeral service will be held on Monday at 11:00am at Hampton Congregational Church, 263 Main St. (Rte. 97) Hampton. Interment will follow in North Cemetery, Hampton. In lieu of flowers, her family suggests memorial donations to Hospice of Eastern Connecticut, 34 Ledgebrook Dr., Mansfield, Ct. 06250. For an online memorial guestbook, please visit www.potterfuneralhome.com .