Glen Maurice Cummings 1926-2023

Glen Maurice Cummings of Woodstock, N.B. passed away at home at the age of 97 on Tuesday, October 10th, 2023.

Glen was born in Southampton, N.B. on May 15, 1926, the son of the late Smith and Verna (Patterson) Cummings. He was the last of nine Cummings family members; predeceased by sisters, Marie and Vera, and brothers Hayward, Hazen, Edison, Colby, Clifton, and Malcolm.  Glen was predeceased by his wife of 65 years, Vivian McDougall Cummings. Vivian and Glen were married on October 3, 1953.

Glen will be missed by his family - Eric Cummings, Jill Cummings, Gail Cummings (Shin Chin), Joy Cummings (Leonard Dickinson), their twins Ken and Zack Dickinson, and Sally Cummings and her daughter Rozalynd.

Glen's childhood farm and lumbering upbringing in Southampton, N.B. instilled a lifelong commitment to hard work, family, and energy for numerous projects and businesses. Glen and his brothers (S.Cummings & Sons) farmed, worked in the woods, and ran a sawmill that was setup in various parts of the province and also was set up at the current site of E. Cummings Contracting where every spring lumber was sawed for local customers.

S.Cummings & Sons 1948-61

Cummings Construction Limited 1961-1986

E.Cummings Contracting Inc. 1986 to present day

Glen and his brother Hayward enlisted in World War 2.

Glen and his lifelong partner, Vivian, took on and evolved S. Cummings & Sons company into the new Cummings Construction Ltd., working with Glen's brother Hayward and building the general contracting company from the ground up. Glen enjoyed being out in the field running the bulldozers and equipment and doing hands-on work.

Some of the significant projects around the province that they completed include the building of Connell Park after the Mactaquac dam project displaced Island Park in 1966; building the Woodstock Airport and the Woodstock's Connell Road expansion in the early '60s; various water and sewer projects throughout the province including in the City of Bathurst in 1965 and the towns of St. Andrews and St. Stephen in the 70s, 80s & 90's. Road building projects included a section of Route 180, originally known as "the Road to Resources" in 1979 straight through the woods from St. Quentin directly by Mount Carleton Provincial Park and onto Bathurst.  Road projects continued closer to home in the 80s and 90s with the construction of Route 560 to Centreville and Deakin Drive in the Town of Woodstock.

As if running a contracting business and raising a growing family of five children were not enough, the entrepreneurial couple opened Cummings Drive-In Theatre in 1954, adding the Hartland Capital Theatre in 1967 to their business ventures.

Not ones to sit idle, in their spare time Glen and Vivian took up skiing in New Brunswick, Maine, the Alps, the Rockies, and made several trips to Colorado. They also enjoyed bicycling throughout Atlantic Canada and Quebec. They explored Russia, Switzerland, Kenya, and the Caribbean, visited every province across Canada, and traveled numerous local roads and backroads called "Tamarac trails" closer to home. Glen enjoyed local road trips driven by family and friends right up to this past Thanksgiving weekend. Glen was also an avid gardener and woodworker and took pride in his many projects at their self-built home outside of Woodstock. Glen and Vivian enjoyed a full life. Life was good.

The Cummings family would like to extend thank you to Priscilla and Doctor Mike Perley and the late Dr. Fred Goodine for the great family health care they provided to Glen and Vivian and the family. And also, to the staff at the Upper River Valley Hospital and NB Horizon Health. We are so fortunate to have access to such caring people at these facilities.  Last but certainly not least, a huge thank-you for the day-to-day care given to Glen and Vivian by Tammy Dickinson, Rich Fishwick, and Donna Curtis.  The family could not have done this without each and all of your great help and caring ways.

A Celebration of the life of Glen Cummings will be held on Friday, October 27, beginning at 1:30 at Connell House, 128 Connell Street, Woodstock, NB.

By request, there will be no visitation. A private interment will be held in the Wakefield Rural Cemetery.

As expressions of sympathy, donations may be made to the Woodstock Historical Society, St. James United Church, the Upper River Valley Hospital Foundation, or a charity of your choice.

Scott Funeral Home, Woodstock, NB entrusted with arrangements.

www.scottfh.com