Richard Boyd Cummings

Richard "Boyd" Cummings, 87, died Thursday, December 9, 2021, in Albuquerque, NM.

Boyd was born April 20, 1934, in Heber, Utah, to Boyd Strong and Marjorie Agnes Cummings. His family on both sides were part of the original pioneering families that settled and built many of the thriving small towns that dot the picturesque Heber Valley in the heart of the Wasatch Mountains. The towns of Heber and Midway always held a special place in his heart.

He met and proposed to his future wife Carol Jean Anderson in Salt Lake City, but before they could marry, the Army came calling, and he was sent to serve overseas. Eventually, his fiancé was able to join him, and they were married in Wiesbaden, Germany, on June 5, 1956. While stationed in Germany, the newlyweds honeymooned in the Bavarian Alps and spent many happy times exploring the sights of Germany.

Upon moving back to the states, he began a career in the brand-new field of computers. His work required Carol and him to move their growing family often, 23 times in 15 years. The family finally settled for good in Los Alamos in 1972, the place where he truly felt at home.

After retiring from LANL in 1994, he devoted his time to the fine art of joke-telling, greeting every stranger, making new friends, and helping anyone in need. He always had a ready smile!

His interests almost always included the great outdoors; he loved skiing, fishing, hiking, hunting and always amazed his family with how he could spot wildlife hundreds of yards away. A perfect day for Boyd was spending time in the Jemez Mountains, cooking "Daddy" beans over a campfire and making everyone laugh with his talent at storytelling.

He is survived by his wife, 5 children, and their spouses: Carrie and James Whitley, Christie and Mickey Kelly, Drew and Tara Cummings, Dean and (former wife) Karen Cummings and CeCe and Luke Wanek; his sisters, Kay Evans and Jean Heyrand; and brother, Bruce Cummings. He was preceded in death by his beloved brother, John Cummings. The pride of his life was his 12 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.

His children will never forget and appreciate "Dad's" tough love ski lessons. There was no chairlift until each could herringbone up the hill and ski down, showing him at least 3 "Dad-approved" turns. He was Boy Scout leader, baseball coach, and all-around enthusiastic, if not sometimes embarrassing, cheerleader.

We will all miss and remember his folksy one-liners; when answering the phone, he greeted you with, "Go ahead, it's your nickel." If asked how he was today, he replied, "I don't know, nobody told me," or I'm finer than frog hair."