Jerry Cummings

On the evening of January 9, 2021, Jerry Cummings succumbed to Hep C induced liver cancer, Hepatacellular carcinoma. It was a surprise to most to hear he was gone. It was his desire to keep his condition quiet, so we did. He fought hard but was unable to beat it. For those who knew Jerry, it’s his smile and his laugh that will be remembered (Also his rather loud sneezes)

Jerry was born in Ottawa to Jean and Don(deceased) Cummings. He was the eldest of six children. Three sisters, Beverly, Joan(deceased) and Nancy, and two brothers, Wayne and Glen.

He was a natural athlete and participated in many sports as a youngster. Hockey, soccer, fastball, gymnastics and skateboarding to name a few. 

His late teens to early twenties saw him in the hippie movement of the sixties and seventies. This was a time of drugs, free love and rock and roll and he lived it. He and his friends spent years traveling across Canada twice a year to avoid the Ottawa winters. Mostly they hitchhiked but were known to ride the railway.

It was during this time that he and many others on the streets of Vancouver contracted Hep C. Who knew that fifty years later it would be the cause of his passing. It was far to early for a otherwise very healthy seventy one year old man.

Jerry started work logging in the early seventies, and he was a natural at it. Our life together started in the summer of 1974 in the Courtenay area where Jerry worked for Comox Logging. 

After tree spacing for two years in the Queen Charlotte Islands we moved to Gold River where he hired on at Gold River Logging as a hook tender in 1979. He became a woods foreman in Gold River and we transferred to Zeballos Logging as well for five years.

We had gotten married in July of 1980. Our lives changed dramatically in the winter of 1980 when we both found faith in Jesus Christ. We attended Capernwray Harbour Bible Centre on Thetis Island for six months over the winter of 81/82. Looking back I see how God was working in our lives to bring us to Him. The life that God saved Jerry from on the streets was a destructive one, and I’m certain he would not have lived to be seventy without God in his life.

In 1983 our lives changed again when our only daughter was born to us. Chelsea Dawn was a answer to prayer and was the apple of his eye.

In his thirties he found his life long passion in mountain biking. He loved riding the trails that he and his friends built over the years. He trained hard and participated in several races. He was instrumental in promoting mountain biking in Gold River. After taking a Bike Mechanic Course he opened a bicycle repair shop known as Trails End Cycle.

In May of 2010 we hired on at Moutcha Bay Resort. We worked the summers looking after the grounds and stayed on through the winters as caretakers. In the fall of 2013 we moved to High Level, Alberta for two years where we worked together doing cleanup in the sawmill on the graveyard shift. In December of 2015 we started working at Newton Cove Resort. We spent the next five winters alone for nine months. Our summers were spent at home in Gold River. We thoroughly enjoyed our life between the two places. Winters were filled with kayaking around the area photographing the abundant wildlife and beauty of the area. Summers were spent at home in Gold River with our daughter and her family who share our home. 

It’s hard to put the past 47 years into words. It was a adventure, and wherever life led us we were together. Jerry was a amazing human being. He was very devoted to his family and most of all to God. He was devoted to studying God’s word and spent hours reading commentaries on whichever book from the Bible that he chose to study. 

He was always so willing to go along with my sometimes wild ideas. Supporting me in all my endeavours. He loved me unconditionally and deeply and was the love of my life. He is greatly missed and he has left a void in our lives that will never be filled. 

He is survived by his mother Jean, siblings, Beverly, Nancy, Wayne and Glen. Our daughter Chelsea and Randy Brochu, and grandchildren Titan, Atlas and Aven. Plus numerous nieces and nephews. 

It’s my desire to bring awareness to the fact that there is a drug that can eradicate Hep C from your body. If we had known about it four years ago maybe Jerry would still be alive. If you or anyone you know may have had Hep C in the past, please get tested. It could be a matter of life and death. 

I have comfort knowing that Jerry is with the Lord. His heart yearned to be closer to the Lord and I know he’s waiting for his family to join him. I feel he’s watching over us keeping us safe.

Thank you all for the gift of meals, cards, flowers and kind thoughts.

Much thanks to the medical staff at the Gold River Clinic as well as The Wellness Centre staff in  the Campbell River Hospital. They all made this difficult journey bearable.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 

Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV

This was one of his favourite verses. He believed it and trusted in God’s faithfulness.

Cherish each day that you have with your loved ones.

God bless you all,

Kathy Cummings and family   

Please check out the Mementos to the right. There you can see a memorial slideshow, a message from our Pastor Rob Hoffman and two of Jers favourite music videos.