(February 22, 1945 - April 27, 2015)

Harold Robert Cummings, 70, of Vernon, beloved husband of Isabel (Bohannon) Cummings died unexpectedly on Monday, April 27, 2015 at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, after suffering a stroke while playing euchre with friends, one of his favorite pastimes. He was born on February 22, 1945 in New Brunswick, NJ, the only child to the late Harold Jay and Joan (Brownlie) Cummings.

Harold was a graduate of South Windsor High School, Trinity College and Georgetown University Law School. He met his wife Isabel at Georgetown University, where he studied Law and she, nursing, and they were married in 1969. He served our country with the U.S. Army in Vietnam and upon returning home in 1972 he began practicing law in South Windsor at Kuehn Kavanaugh & Cummings, which later became Cummings & Lanza where he was named Business Person of the Year 2012. Harold served our country for 23 years in the Army, National Guard and Army Reserve, retiring as a decorated JAG Lt. Colonel in 1993. Harold was a longstanding member of the South Windsor Rotary Club, South Windsor Land Trust, First Congregational Church in Vernon, Vernon Republican Town Committee, Vernon Board of Education and served as the Vernon Town Attorney. Harold loved history and was a member of the Civil War Reenactors of the 14th Voluntary Infantry in Rockville. He played games of all kinds with his grandchildren and enjoyed mentoring with the high school mock trial. Isabel and Hal were speakers for Stonecroft Ministries.

Along with his wife of 45 years, Isabel, he leaves his three children, Jay Cummings and Andres Hernandez, Major Joel Porter Cummings and Sheri Renea Cummings and Justin H. Cummings; his grandchildren, Zachary and Andrew Cummings; his Aunt, Arlene Brownlie; his cousins, Clayton and Marilyn Zahner, Robert Brownlie, Debbie Morris and William Brownlie; his sister-in-law, Mary Wynne Burns and her husband Kevin; his brothers-in-law, John N. Bohannon and Charles M. Bohannon.

Given Hal's passion for politics, the Cummings family has requested that with his passing the Vernon Republican Town Committee Fundraiser, already planned largely by Hal himself for Roasting Hal on June 4, 2015, be a "celebration of his life". For more information or reservations please call Marcia Nicol at 860-305-8866.

A Memorial Service will be held on June 3, 2015 at 3pm at the church of his youth, Wapping Community Church, 1790 Ellington Rd., South Windsor, with Military Honors to follow. Burial will be private at the request of his family. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Vernon Republican Town Committee c/o Robert Hurd, 7 Rheel Street, Vernon CT 06066 and/or New England Civil War Museum, 14 Park Place, Rockville, CT 06066 and/or Wapping Community Church, 1790 Ellington Rd., South Windsor, CT 06074. Samsel & Carmon Funeral Home has care of the arrangements.

[Published in the Carmon Community Funeral Homes online obituaries.]

From the Trinity Reporter, Fall 2015:

HAROLD ROBERT CUMMINGS, 70, of Vernon, Connecticut, died on April 27, 2015. Cummings earned a B.A. in history from Trinity, where he was a Goodwin Fellow and a member of the Jesters and Phi Mu Delta. He also was a member of the freshman football and fencing teams.

Cummings went on to earn his J.D. from Georgetown University Law School. He served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam, and upon his return home in 1972, began practicing law in South Windsor at Kuehn Kavanaugh & Cummings, which later became Cummings and Lanza. His military service included 23 years in the Army, National Guard, and Army Reserve; he retired as a decorated JAG lieutenant colonel in 1993.

He was a member of the South Windsor Rotary Club, the South Windsor Land Trust, and the Vernon Board of Education, and he served as the Vernon town attorney. He also was a devoted Trinity alumnus.

Cummings is survived by his wife of 45 Years, Isabel; children Jay Cummings (Andres Hernandez), Joel Cummings (Sheri), and Justin Cummings; and two grandchildren.