Arthur Cummings Passes Away at 85

By Sue Ellen Woodcock

Arthur T. “Arky” Cummings of Winthrop passed away peacefully on March 7. He was 85 years old.

“Arthur was a phenomenal person in the Winthrop community and education. We all look at our possibilities at trying to make a difference…well ATC made a difference. Received so many emails and messages on social media about how phenomenal of a man he was,” said Superintendent of Schools John Macero.

Cummings began his career as a teacher at Winthrop Senior High School on September 1, 1956. He was the assistant principal at the Junior High School from September 1, 1963, to June 30, 1967. Cummings was the principal at the EB Newton School from September 1, 1967 to June 30, 1972. He was also the principal at the Willis School from September 1, 1972 until his retirement in February, 1993.

Arky was the dear and devoted husband of the late Barbara (Boisvert) Cummings, who passed away in 2014. Loving father of Kevin Cummings and Susan of Winthrop; Scott Cummings and Alison of Bedford, NH; Douglas Cummings and Colleen of Longmeadow; Donna Cummings, Brenda and their daughter Jillian of Revere; and Leslee Kfoury and Louis of Winthrop.

Beloved “Papa” of Amy and her husband Ben, Michelle, Kyle, Kara, David, Ali, Sarah, Isabel, Jillian, Julia, and Ryan. Dear brother of Joseph Cummings and his wife Margaret of Arlington, Mary Hunter of Winthrop and her late husband Edward, the late Howard Cummings and his wife Jeanne of Florida. Brother-in-law of Elizabeth “Bonnie” and Ron Ripley of NH. He is also survived by several loving nieces and nephews.

Arky married the love of his life, Barbara, and settled in Winthrop to raise their family. He was a longtime educator in the Winthrop Public Schools. A quiet and humble man, Arky will long be remembered for his generosity of time and spirit and for his tireless devotion to his family and community.

Arky’s Funeral Mass will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at St. John the Evangelist Church, Winthrop. Visiting hours will be held Friday 2-8 p.m. at the Maurice W. Kirby Funeral Home 210 Winthrop St. Winthrop. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend.

In honor of Arky’s dearest friend, Dr. Richard S. Tacelli (tacelli.org), please make contributions in his memory to Fidelity Charitable. In memo of check, please reference “1069999 Tacelli Fund” and mail to Fidelity Charitable P.O. Box 770001 Cincinnati, OH 45277.

Contributions may also be made to WINARC (winarc.org) c/o Nancy Tufo 3 Seal Harbor Dr. Apt 627 Winthrop, MA 02152 or to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (michaeljfox.org) P.O. Box 5014 Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014.

He will be laid to rest with his beloved wife Barbara in the Belle Isle Section of Winthrop Cemetery.