Douglas Matthew (Doug) Cummins' Obituary
Douglas Matthew (Doug) Cummins (79) was born in San Antonio, Texas, on Dec. 27, 1944, to James Raymond Cummins and Bennie Elizabeth Armstrong. He died April 26, 2024, at Willard Walker Hospice House in Fayetteville, Ark.
He is survived by his wife, Jacquelyn (Jacqui) Brandli, daughter Shannon Cummins, and grandson, Grayson Herriott. His brother, Kenneth Cummins and wife Phyllis and sister-in-law, Betty Cummins also survive as do many loved cousins. He is also survived by his bonus family of Tacy Joffe-Minor and husband, Ray Minor, granddaughters, Lela and Abi Minor, Patrick Joffe and son, Alex Joffe. He was predeceased by his parents and his brother, James (Jim) Cummins.
Doug was a father, husband and granddaddy. He was a musician, a singer, a composer, an actor, a director, a playwright, but most of all he was a teacher. He started school at the age of 5 and never left academia until he retired. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree at TCU, a Masters of Divinity at TCU, a Masters of Theater at TCU, and finally a Doctorate in Theater at Texas Tech. He was a professor of theater at University of Texas, Pan American in Edinburg, Texas, and a professor of theater and Department of Theater chair at Furman University in Greenville, S.C.
When he retired from Furman, he agreed with Jacqui to move to Fayetteville, Ark. Maybe it was the lure of watching Razorback basketball with his son-in-law, Ray. He even learned to call the Hogs! He became a very active member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, serving as a lector and singing tenor in the choir. He joined Northside Rotary and by “showing up” became a Paul Harris Fellow and Rotarian of the Year. He served on the Walton Arts Center Board as a city of Fayetteville representative and worked for the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas for a time. He felt fortunate to live in a town with SoNA and TheatreSquared.
Doug’s funeral will be 2 p.m., May 18, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Fayetteville, Ark. In lieu of flowers, gifts in memory of Doug to St. Paul’s Friends of Music, SoNA or Willard Walker Hospice House would be
appreciated.
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