Richard P Cummins

Richard Porter “Dick” Cummins of San Diego, California, passed away peacefully at home on October 19 after suffering months of ill health and the after effects of a traumatic fall. He was 82.

Richard was born August 2, 1943 to LeRoy and Mildred Cummins in Davenport, Iowa. Roy was a Master Sergeant in the US Army and the young family moved several times in the early years until Roy retired with severe heart disease to Monterey, California. Dick’s mom worked in the canneries for 2 years and saved the money to buy 2 contiguous lots overlooking the Bay. His Dad and a friend built a house there that still stands.

Dick’s years in Monterey were remembered fondly over the years, fishing in the Bay, playing catch and learning to pitch with his dad and his own days in Little League. He was also a performer. His first part was in a little program his first grade was putting on. He came home and said, “Mama, I’m to be the loud speaker.” He was master of ceremonies. In the next several years, he was in several plays at the Monterey Wharf Theater and the Forest Theater and Golden Bough Theater in Carmel. He also had a bit part in the movie ‘Clash by Night’ and remembers being hugged by Marilyn Monroe in one of her early movie roles.

In his later years, Dick performed several stories with So Say We All, a literary and performing arts organization in San Diego as well as for the Moth and Dime Stories. See YouTube for even more stories. His story telling continued as a rideshare driver the past several years.

When Dick’s father died and his mother became ill, he moved back to the Midwest where he lived with his uncle and family until his mother recovered.

Richard graduated from Rock Island High School in 1962. And following his 50th class reunion, he stayed regularly in touch with his friends there via their email group they call the Rock Pile. He went on to attend the University of Iowa with a track scholarship and graduated in 1966 with a degree in English. He was a proud graduate of the Iowa Writers Workshop with an MFA in 1970 where he studied under Kurt Vonnegut and William Price Fox. While at Iowa, he was also known as Foxcraft Swinker III, pen name of his witty and ironic columns in the Daily Iowan.

Dick was a life-long athlete and sports fan. He believed in doing 3 hard things a day, and one of these was taking a run or working out. He was a hurdler in high school and high jumper at the University of Iowa. He coached track and football at Key West High. And, for the past 20 years, he played senior softball in the Dana Softball League. A life-long Hawkeye fan, he watched all the games and attended several over the years. And, he was the best fan for wife Vonna and her senior women’s basketball team.

After college, Dick went on to teach and coach at Indian Hills Community College in Iowa, and Florida Keys Community College, where he was fired for environmental activism in the early 70’s. He then taught at Key West High School, followed by a move to Missoula, Montana, where he taught at the University there. In the 1980’s he and the head of the computer science department began developing educational software and received venture capital, an Apple Education grant. But, in those days, everyone just copied software instead of buying it. Dick became a pilot and one of his most vivid and entertaining stories was when his Cessna’s engine failed and he crash-landed it in an Illinois cornfield, walking away unscathed. He told his mom he had an ‘off-airport landing.’

While at Indian Hills, he coached wide receivers and taught remedial reading to athletes, one of whom was Rich Upchurch, now a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Dick had no experience or knowledge teaching reading; he just figured it all out. When Upchurch was first tested, he had third-grade reading ability, but he left the school reading at the college level. Upchurch never forgot Dick’s help and stayed in close touch with him over the years.

Dick and Vonna met at the University of Iowa, lived aboard a sailboat in Key West, parted but stayed in touch. They reconnected and were married at last, in 1991. It was a happy day with many happy years to follow.

Always an entrepreneur at heart Dick and Vonna started their small business ‘21st Century Research’ in the 1990’s. They developed a software product for medical transcriptionists and Dick specialized in medical transcription sales and service until his retirement.

Dick had a big heart. He was kind, generous, loving, funny, curious, and creative. He had a big voice and an even bigger vocabulary. He was handsome and a good dancer. He was also willful and stubborn. He was a lifelong Democrat. He loved reading and road trips and sports. Dick loved animals and they loved him. He and Vonna had several beloved dogs, and he was also known as the ‘cat whisperer.’

Richard was preceded in death by his parents, LeRoy and Mildred Cummins, and his infant daughter Tabetha Jean Cummins. He is survived by his beloved wife Vonna. Also surviving him are his sister-in-law Virgie Oatman, brother-in-law Richard Perrigan, nieces Jessica Perrigan and Rachel Cordova, nephews Ian and Aspen Oatman, his former wife Lorene Kowalsky, and many wonderful friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests any donations be made to the San Diego Humane Society.