Robert Roger Cummings

Robert Roger Cummings: April 13, 1937 – January 4, 2026

LONGVIEW- Robert Roger Cummings, age 88, passed away on January 4, 2026, at The Villager Inn of Castle Rock, WA. Robert (Bob) Cummings was born in Billings, Montana, to Bayliss and Mary Cummings on April 13, 1937.  He graduated from Flathead High School in Kalispell, Montana, in 1955.  He met his wife, Naomi (Omi) Scruton, while attending the University of Puget Sound, marrying in June 1958, and graduating in June 1959. Following graduation, he worked at JC Penney’s management program in Tacoma for six years, during which time their 3 children (Brenda, Bruce, and Brian) were born.

The family moved to Longview, Washington, in 1966 where Bob was the Director of Youth and Christian Education at the Longview Community Church for several years. After receiving a master’s degree in special education at Portland State University, he became the Director of Progress Center, a program serving handicapped children, for several years.  Later, Bob joined the staff at Lower Columbia Community College where he worked with the integration of second-language students and special needs students and oversaw the implementation of the ADA regulations on the campus.  He became the Director of the Retired Services for Volunteer Program (RSVP) and during that time was elected to serve 2 terms on the National Board of RSVP Directors.  After retiring in 1999, he and Omi moved to Anacortes, WA, followed years later by moving to Guemes Island where he and Omi lived until moving in March 2025, to The Villager Inn of Castle Rock, WA. 

His pride and joy was the purchase of “Big Red”, a Sprinter Van, which took them through every state in the United States on multiple adventures as well as into every Province in Canada where Big Red could go. He also traveled (without Big Red) to Nepal, India, England, Fiji, Australia, Costa Rica, Mexico, New Zealand, Ghana, and Lesotho, Africa.

Bob was active in the Methodist church in Kalispell during his youth and has remained active with a faith community throughout his life.  He was an active founding member of the Longview Presbyterian Church before participating in Guemes Community Church. He has accompanied Omi on many social justice quests, ranging from joining the Dakota Access Pipeline Protest at Standing Rock, marches for other environmental and immigration concerns, as well as fund-raising efforts.  He served on the Guemes Connects Board since its inception. He received several awards and honors and served on numerous boards and committees over the course of his life.

Bob is preceded in death by his parents and sole brother, Bayliss Jr., sister-in-law, Rausie Cummings, and nephew, Steve Cummings.

Bob is survived by Naomi, his wife of 67 years, and their three children, Brenda (husband David), Bruce, and Brian (wife Dana), who graced them with 7 grandchildren: Laura (husband Marc), Ethan (wife Caroline and great grandchildren Elliott, Caleb, Violet), Daniel (wife Emily and great grandchildren Cicely, Dublyn, Donovan),  Carl (wife Kristi), Devon (wife Ester and great granddaughter Olivia), Joel (wife Brianna), and Hadassah. Bob also has over 30 relatives, spanning three generations in Kalispell, Montana. As the patriarch of the Cummings Clan, he visited them annually, as long as he was physically able.

A service to celebrate and honor Bob’s life will be held Saturday, January 31, at Longview Presbyterian Church at 1:30 pm with Jan Anderson, a former participant in his youth group at the Longview Community Church), officiating.

The Cummings family wishes to extend our sincere thanks to the caring staff at The Villager Inn and visiting hospice staff who lovingly cared for Bob during his last days.