Douglas T. Cummins Dies At 50

Douglas T. Cummins

Douglas T. Cummins of Westhampton died on Sunday, August 14. He was 50.

Born on June 17, 1961, to Phillip Daniel Cummins and Jerry Ann Cummins in Iowa, Mr. Cummins grew up one of three children. After graduating from the University of Iowa in 1985 with a degree in economics, he worked for the Union Pacific Railroad in Omaha and then as its marketing representative in Connecticut. There he met and married Elizabeth Hamilton Finkle. The couple moved to Manhattan where he worked for several Wall Street firms, first as a railroad stock analyst and then in risk arbitrage.

Since the birth of his daughter, Victoria, he cherished their time together and played with her despite battling multiple myeoloma, the cancer he fought relentlessly for more than four and a half years.

Mr. Cummins planned endlessly for her well-being, both present and future. Her love for him multiplied his determination to live, family said.

Mr. Cummins made friends easily and, more importantly, developed deep and abiding friendships and family ties that were based on mutual love and respect, which truly mattered to him. According to family, had he been asked, he would have attributed the compassion and generosity for which he was known later in life to becoming a father and to joining Alcoholics Anonymous.

He is survived by his daughter, Victoria; siblings, Daniel Cummins and his wife Laurie, Thyra Cox and her husband Ronald; his father, Phillip Cummins and his wife Karen; aunt, Delores Dart Kinkaid; nephews and nieces, James Phillip Cox and James Phillip Cummins and his friend Mira Swanson, Suzan Marie Cox and Jesse Pikturna, Rachael Ohde and Nicholaus, Katherine Anne Cummins; grandnephew and grandniece, William Pikturna and Thyra Pikturna; numerous cousins; his former wife, Elizabeth Sans, and her daughter, Caroline, and husband Stephen; and his former mother-in-law and great friend, Patricia Smith. Mr. Cummins was predeceased by his sister, Susan, who died as an infant, and his loving mother, Jerry Ann Dart Cummins.

A memorial service was held on Saturday, August 20, at Beach United Methodist Church in Westhampton Beach.

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, September 17, at 2 p.m., at the Westhampton Cemetery.