Samuel M. Cummins

Samuel M. Cummins, beloved husband, devoted father, and proud patriot, passed away peacefully on November 27, 2017 at the age of 69.   Sam is survived by his wife of 41 years, Paula, and two sons, Daniel and Bryan, as well as his mother, Sara McSorley, and many other relatives and friends.  Sam will be laid to rest at the Santa Fe National Cemetery.

Our family wishes to thank our friends and relatives for their love, support, and prayers and the staff of Vista Sandia, Bee Hive Homes, and Ambercare Hospice for their compassionate care.  Our family would also like to thank Gretchen Shipley Crowe and the members of the FTD group for providing us with knowledge and advice throughout our journey with Sam and the debilitating brain disease known as dementia.  Sam is now free from this cruel and indiscriminate disease.

Sam was born in Nashville, Tennessee on October 17, 1948.  He moved to New Mexico as a young boy and graduated from Sandia High School where he participated on the football, cross-country, and track teams.  After graduation, Sam joined the United States Navy and worked as a Torpedoman's Mate on both the USS Kearsarge and USS Nereus.  Once his enlistment ended, he returned to New Mexico and graduated from the University of New Mexico with an engineering degree.

Sam married the love of his life, Paula, on April 2, 1976 and children soon followed.  Sam was an affectionate parent and immersed himself in his children’s activities, including attending countless band and choir performances.   Sam also shared his love of the outdoors with his children and taught them how to camp while they were very young.  The family enjoyed many summers around an open campfire and the memories of those times together will never be forgotten.

Sam worked as a Civil Engineer for the City of Albuquerque Water Department for over 20 years and retired in 1996.  During his career, Sam envisioned and brought to life several groundbreaking water and sewer utility projects and received two engineering awards.  He was instrumental in the creation of a database which allowed the forecasting of future water demands for the City of Albuquerque and launched a successful water system rehabilitation program.

Sam’s spirit will live on in our hearts and minds, as well as in legacy.  He will be deeply missed.  In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org/join_the_cause_donate.asp.  Memorial donations may also be sent to the Alzheimer’s Association at P.O. Box 21400, Albuquerque, NM 87154.