William Henry "Bill" Cummings died June 17, 2017 at Eureka Nursing Center in Eureka, Kansas at the age of 95. He was born September 27, 1921 in Fall River Township in Greenwood County, Kansas to John Edward and Millie Belle (Wright) Cummings.
Bill attended schools in Fall River, Kansas and graduated from Fall River High School. He worked along with his father, brothers, and sisters on their farm and blacksmith shop north of Fall River. In April 1944, Bill's father had not returned from working in the field, and Bill went and found him deceased from an apparent heart attach. At age 22, Bill and his brother, Ellis took over caring for their mother and the family farm since brothers, John and Charley were married and had moved away and brother Gene was serving in World War II.
On December 26, 1945, Bill was united in marriage to Marcella May Benson in Eureka, Kansas. They remained on the family farm caring for Bill's mother. Within a few years, they bought a farm between Neal and Toronto, Kansas where they raised their four children. Bill lived and breathed farming and was very meticulous and deliberate with his work. He also worked part-time as a carpenter, building houses and various other carpentry work. In 1959, he proudly completed construction of a new home on his own farm where he raised his children. Bill and son, Cliff, entered a farming partnership in 1980 which continued until Bill retired in 1986. He moved to Eureka in 1989, but even following retirement, he continued working with Cliff until 2004 when macular degeneration took his sight. Marcella preceded him in death on June 18, 2007. Following her death, Bill moved to Vintage Park until his final months when he moved to Eureka Nursing Center. He will forever be remembered as a great and hard-working and focused farmer, and most of all, as a great father and provider, teaching the importance of personal responsibility, work ethic, and moral values.
Bill is survived by three daughters, Barbara Ann Poettgen of San Antonio, Texas, Sharyl Virginia Cummings of Tucson, Arizona, and Ethel Anita Overstake of Wichita, Kansas. one son, Clifford Dean Cummings of Toronto, Kansas; eight grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; and one sister, Mary Fay Thompson of Wichita, Kasnas. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Marcella; four brothers, John Marshal, Charles Orland, Eugene, and Ellis Edward Cummings; and two sisters, Edna Claire Claiborn and Helen Wygle.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 23, 2017 at Koup Family Funeral Home in Eureka, Kansas with Pastor Warren Olson of the Neal Methodist Church of Neal, Kansas officiating. Interment will follow at Greenwood Cemetery in Eureka, Kansas. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorials be made to the Macular Degeneration Association. Contributions may be sent in care of Koup Family Funeral Home, 121 N. Oak Street, Eureka, Kansas 67045 which is overseeing arrangements. Condolences may be left for the family at www.koupfunerals.com.
(taken from the Koup Family Funeral Home website)