Jimmy D. Cummins

Jimmy D. Cummins, 86, of Walnut Grove passed away Nov. 7, 2020. He was the son of Willoughby Randolph Cummins (aka Obe and Bill) and Julia Ida Ward. Jimmy Dee Cummins was born in Troup, Smith County, Texas on May 23, 1934. At age nine he moved with his family to Walnut Grove, where he lived for most of his life.
Cummins was baptized and joined the First Christian Church in Walnut Grove in 1946. He played the organ and piano for church services. He served as Sunday school teacher of the young adult class and was the Sunday School superintendent. He later served as chairman of the board of deacons and elders.
He graduated from Walnut Grove High School in 1953. He attended
Southwest Missouri State College where he received a bachelor’s degree in
education in 1957. He attended ROTC and was commissioned with the rank
of 2nd Lieutenant. He did post graduate studies at the University of Missouri,
Culver-Stockton College, Missouri State University, and Peabody College for
Teachers at Vanderbilt University where he specialized in speech pathology.
While at SMS, he was first chair baritone player in the band. He was
promoted to director of the ROTC band, which played at all the SMS
basketball games. He also organized and was elected president of the SMS
Young Democrats Club his junior and senior years. He also was a member of
the SMS debate team where his team won the Missouri College
Championship. He was elected as a delegate to the Missouri Democratic
Convention.
Cummins served in the United States Army and Active Army Reserve for 15
years. He later received his Officer’s Branch training in Armor at Fort Knox,
Ky. He later commanded Company B, 329th Quartermaster Battalion, an
Engineering Battalion, and an Artillery Battalion where he served as the
Battalion Motor Officer and was the Commander of the U.S. Army Reserve
Center in Springfield. He retired with the rank of captain.
Cummins taught three years in Walnut Grove, one year at Steelville, and he
was a speech and language pathologist in the Springfield School District for
26 years.
He was most proud of his 37 years as fire chief of the Walnut Grove Volunteer
Fire and Rescue Department. After serving as the city fire chief, he organized
the department in 1965.
Cummins has been involved in several emergency response organizations.
He was an organizer and charter member of the Greene County Fire
Departments Association. He served as president of the association for 18
years and training coordinator for three years. He was a member of the
Greene County 911 services for the county. He was a Level III University of
MO Fire Training Instructor, and instructor in CPR and instructor trainer for
the American Heart Association and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).
Cummins was an organizer and first chairman of Senior Citizens Housing
board, organizer and the first president of the new Ozarks Disaster Response
Training, Funding Foundation and Community Betterment. He organized the
Walnut Grove Booster Club that did community betterment projects. The club
built the Walnut Grove City Park, installed street signs for city streets. He
served eight years as mayor and eight years as alderman for a total of 16
years for the city of Walnut Grove. He later served two years as the civil
defense director.
Cummins was a member of the Walnut Grove Alumni and worked and
attended all the reunions since graduating.
Memorial services were at 2 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020 at Wilson-Griffin
Funeral Home, Walnut Grove. Burial will be held at a later date at Greene
Lawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorial donations can be made to
Disabled American Veterans and may be left at the funeral home.