- Date Of Birth: May 13, 1925
- Date Of Death: October 13, 2014
- State: Arizona
Born May 16, 1925 in Flagstaff, she was the older of two children born to Francis L. Decker (who died in 1977) and Marie Hoovler Decker (who died in 1980). She attended NAU Elementary School, Emerson School, Flagstaff Junior High School, Flagstaff High School and Phoenix Union High School where she graduated in 1943. Her college years were spent at NAU and UCLA. She held BA and MA degrees in Music and Education.
On June 7, 1947 she married William H. Cummings, former principal of Emerson, Marshall, and Christiansen Schools (who died in 2011). She taught music in the Flagstaff Public Schools from 1946 to 1989. She also taught the academically gifted during that time (a program which she started.)
She did take a nine-year leave of absence to become a mother and spend quality time with the three Cummings children, each of whom survive her: Diane Cummings-Sullivan, Phoenix; Dr. Elaine Cummings-Grodin, Long Beach; and Bill Cummings, Jr., Flagstaff. She was one of the organists at the Federated Community Church since 1939, and was the principal organist there from 1986 through the mid-1990s. Well known as a recital organist, she performed on every major organ in Northern Arizona. She was a violist in the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra for 36 years. In addition she composed music and taught both private piano and organ. Several local piano teachers studied piano pedagogy with Mrs. Cummings. She was an instructor of class piano at Coconino Community College from 1993 to 2000.
Active in civic organizations, she always worked to improve our community, particularly in the areas of culture. As an outstanding teacher she was given special recognition by the Flagstaff Public Schools in 1985 and was featured in one of the “Extra” articles in the Arizona Daily In 1988. From 1973 to 1989 she enjoyed full-time involvement in Gifted Education. Prior to the fall-scale development of that program in 1975 she designed, implemented and instructed the the two-year pilot program for the public schools. At NAU she was a frequent guest lecturerand part-time instructor in both music and education. She was also a supervisor of student teachers from 2000 to 2005.
She was a published author of scientific and educational articles as well as a published composer of children’s songs. Mrs. Cummings taught extension classes in Gifted Education for the Arizona State Department of Education. She also presented Educational Workshops throughout the state for the Arizona Education Association and presented a Gifted Workshop at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. Following her retirement in 1989 she continued to teach several district classes and methods for improving student thinking skills. For many years she served as a piano adjudicator for the Northern Arizona Solo and Ensemble Music Festivals.Her avocations included china painting and as a watercolor artist.
A supporter of local artistic and musical endeavors, in 1971 she originated the now popular Organ Advent Recitals held each December, and also the annual Good Friday Organ Vespers at the Federated Community Church. In addition she chaired the first Art Auction to be held in Flagstaff (1986) to benefit the Northern Arizona Guidance Clinic. She was a member of Mensa, Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Delta Kappa, American Guild of Organists, Arizona Porcelain Artists Guild, a life member of the National Education Association, and numerous other professional organizations. Also she was an emeritus member of the Executive Board of the Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented.
Considered to be an exemplary teacher in both music and education, she will be remembered as having served as the organist for hundreds of weddings and funerals in the city of Flagstaff and as the teacher of several thousand students. Her main goal in life was to inspire children to expand their potential for learning and to experience beauty. Her educational motto was, “If students are happy in school and find themselves in a psychologically safe and loving environment, they will learn more, faster, retain better and ENJOY the educational experience.”
World travelers, she and her husband were vitally interested in different cultures, habits and artistic differences. She always enjoyed her work and had great enthusiasm for life.
She is survived by a brother, John Decker; her three children; two nephews, John and Joseph Decker; a niece, Michelle Decker Erdmier; three grandchildren, Samuel and Laura Grodin and Crystal Jones Holdemann; a great niece and a great nephew; and many cousins. She leaves a legacy of culture and optimism.
