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Albert “Howard” “Al” Cummings Jr., 76, a native of Texas and resident of Gibson, La., died at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 12, 2010, after a hard-fought battle with cancer.
He was born Feb. 12, 1934, in Harlingen, Texas, to Albert H. Cummings Sr. and Mary Estelle Burkett Cummings.
He attended Edinburg High School and played in the marching band. He graduated from Breckingridge High School in San Antonio in 1952 where he also played trumpet in the marching band.
Howard, or “Al” as he was known while he served in the military, began his military career in the Texas National Guard in 1949. He was employed full time as unit administrator for headquarters, 3rd Battalion, 112th Armored Cavalry and was battalion sergeant major 1951-55. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in March 1956. He attended Army Engineer School at Fort Belvoir, Va., and was then assigned to Ellington Air Force Base in Houston.
Howard answered the call for marksmanship instructors in 1959. After a tour of duty at Tachikawa Air Force Base, Japan, he attended the U.S. Air Force Marksmanship School and graduated at the top of his class. He was then accepted as an Air Force technical school instructor in 1962. He was recognized as the Air Training Command Instructor of the Year in 1965 and was in the first group of master instructors in 1966. Howard was selected for assignment to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs from 1966-73. There he served as varsity pistol coach with the Department of Athletics and became the small arms superintendent in 1972. As varsity pistol coach, his teams amassed numerous collegiate records including 15 All-Americans. His teams never lost to the Army or the Navy’s pistol teams and were national and international champions for six consecutive years. His additional duties included his service as marksmanship instructor for the Academy Support Personnel and Cadet Wing. In 1971, Al and his entire command team from the Air Force Academy were selected as members of the USAF Pistol Team and Al himself was a member of the International Pistol Team in 1972.
Al’s last assignment while in the Air Force was at Bergstrom Air Force Base, Austin, Texas, where he served as the small arms marksmanship training unit superintendent until his retirement in September 1975. Also, while assigned to Tachikawa Air Force Base, he was ordained a deacon of the Tokyo Baptist Church on Jan. 28, 1962.
After retiring from the Air Force, he resided near his birthplace, where he was co-owner of a family business, United Steel Products, a fence company, from 1975-87. He was a member of the North Harlingen Rotary Club and served as president 1982-83 and was a recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow Award. He later retired and moved to Prescott, Ark., the longtime home of his mother, serving in the RGR Corps of Engineers at Lake Ouachita until 1995. He moved to Gibson in 2006 and married Peggy Arlene Cummings Bergeron Mabry. He was a member of Coteau Baptist Church in Houma.
He was an avid outdoorsman, enjoying fishing and gardening. He was a very kind, loving, thoughtful man who strived to serve the Lord. He will be greatly missed by loved ones and all who knew him.
He is survived by his wife, Peggy Cummings; brother, Robert Cummings; half-brothers, Larry and Jim Cummings; sons, Howard and Gary (Sue) Cummings; daughter, Mary Cathryn “Cathy” (Gene) Cummings Allen; stepsons, Jeff and Kevin (Gertie) Bergeron; two grandsons, Rory and Kody Allen; two granddaughters, Danielle and Moriah Cummings; four step-grandchildren, Heather (James) Dickerson, Valerie (Keith) Verdine, Victoria (Brandon) Bonvillain and Derrick Darcey; seven step-great-grandchildren, Haley and Brennon Dickerson, Gracie and Makayla Verdine, Ethan, Skylar and Branson Bonvillain; and a very special friend, Mary Jane Dupont.
He was preceded in death by his father, Albert H. Cummings Sr.; mother, Mary Estelle Spires; first wife, Joan Herring Cummings; and his half-brother, Kenneth Cummings.
Howard’s favorite Bible scripture was “…in all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths,” Proverbs 3:6.
Those close to him know he always ended his correspondence, by phone or in writing, with the phrase, “Take care, be aware and stay in prayer.”
He is buried at Gibson Baptist Cemetery.
