James Gardner Cummings

James Gardner Cummings - a prominent citizen of Hernando County, Florida, for many years, starting and ending his professional career in Brooksville, Florida, has been a current member of Palms Springs Church of Christ in Altamonte Springs, Florida. He died peacefully at home on Thursday, October, 19, 2023. James was born in Keiser, Arkansas, on June 12, 1931. His family life kept him in the delta area until he joined the Army Air Corps in 1951, where he was finally stationed at Fort Dix, New Jersey, there he met his wife to be Catherine Margaret Jackson.

James and Catherine were married in Elkton, Maryland, on November 21, 1953. His passion for educational change started after graduating with a master's degree from Memphis State College in 1960. Because of his interest in overseas Administration, Supervision & Counseling, he applied in places like Morocco and Sicily, however, now with a wife and two children, his wife encouraged him to start his career a little closer to home; that home was Brooksville, Florida, where he took a position as Dean of Students at Hernando High School. In 1965 he moved his family to the County of Brevard receiving one of the first positions in psychology as a professor at Brevard Junior College.

His love for the outdoors, hunting and fishing provided travel opportunities for the family, planning a 5-week summer camping trip throughout the southwest states. In 1970 he moved the family to West Helena, Arkansas, where he took a position at Phillips County Community College, during which time he wrote a grant initiating the nursing school there, providing local students the opportunity to advance their studies in the medical field.

After the girls left for college, Jim and Cathy took up residency again in Brooksville, Florida, where Jim worked as City Manager and County Administrator until he and Cathy both retired. After retiring James and Catherine, took to the road, traveling extensively through the United States. They even took a 3-month jaunt through Alaska, where salmon ran freely. Through the years he has had a passion for hunting, fishing, and gardening, which has added additional provisions for the family.

He is survived by his children Deborah (Rodney Shivers, Jr., deceased), Cheryl (Daniel Hull, deceased), and grandchildren Dawn Engelbrecht (Thomas), Jerrad Shivers (Brianne), Blaine Shivers (Heather), and William Hull. And great-grandchildren Addison, Lacey, Brooklyn, Samantha Engelbrecht; Mikaela, Evelyn, Jaxson Shivers, and Zoey Shivers.

Graveside services will be conducted Friday, November 3, 2023, for the family and close friends by Brian Messerli from Palm Springs Church of Christ at the Cape Canaveral National Cemetery, 5525 U.S. Highway 1, North Mims, FL 32754.

In lieu of flowers, in memory of James, the family requests donations be made to Mount Dora Children's Home, 301 W. 13th Avenue, Mount Dora, FL 32757. Please make checks payable to the Mount Dora Children's Home and write "In Memory of James G. Cummings" on the memo line.
To make a gift online, https://www.mdchome.org/give/honor-and-memorial-gifts. Select "Honor and Memorial Gifts" under Tribute Gift click the box to the left of "This gift is in honor or memory of someone", click on the drop-down box, select "Memorial" in the open field titled "Full Name" type "James G. Cummings".