Barbara Ruth Cummings

Barbara Ruth Cummings (Barb or Pastor Barb) was born in Danville, Illinois on November 30, 1937, to Thelma Louise and James Saunders Cummings. She passed to her Heavenly Father on August 30, 2025, surrounded by several dear friends. Barb is survived by her brother, Jim Cummings, and his wife, Judy, of Denver, Colorado, her niece, Judyann Cummings, and her husband, David Hartman, of Thornton, Colorado, and her sister-in-law, Janet Wright, and brother-in-law, David Minicucci.

Her father, the Rev. J.S. Cummings, was a minister in the Church of the Nazarene. When Barb was five, they moved to East St. Louis and later to Belleville, Illinois. She graduated from East St. Louis High School in 1955 and from Olivet Nazarene University in Kankakee, Illinois in 1959. After her dad's retirement, they moved to the Phoenix area.

When Barb was twelve, she was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a bone cancer that was deemed incurable at that time. The doctors at the St. Louis Shriners Hospital told her parents that if her leg was not amputated, she would die within months, and if she had her leg amputated, she might live two-three years. Barb had her leg amputated above the knee and, much to the surprise of her doctors, went on to lead a long and fruitful life through the grace of Almighty God. Her original doctor saved the pathology slides, and when new techniques later became available, he confirmed his original diagnosis.

Barb was an accomplished pianist, originally learning to play by ear, and also had a beautiful alto singing voice. She was a pianist for The Masters Quartet, and they traveled the country performing for several years and released several records. After that, she continued to play the piano and sing, blessing the congregations at a variety of churches for different events. Barb loved to travel, and she was able to cheer on her niece, an accomplished triathlete, at many competitions around the country and the world, including Madeira, Vancouver, and Australia.

Barb began teaching in Illinois and then continued her fifty-year journey as an educator in Arizona, teaching at several schools, including Squaw Peak Elementary in Phoenix and Harris Elementary in Gilbert, where she later became the principal. In 1994 Barb became the Children's Pastor at CrossRoads Nazarene Church in Chandler. She then helped start CrossRoads Community School in 2000, where she served as the beloved principal until 2011. Barb knew she was getting older when she encountered kids who said, "You taught my grandmother!" In June 2001 she was ordained as a Reverend on the Arizona Nazarene Church District.

In 2022 Barb moved to Cadence Senior Living Community in Chandler, where she met many new dear friends. She was very active in The Springs Church at Cadence, playing the piano, speaking, and whatever was needed. Among her other activities, she played volleyball on the Chili Peppers volleyball team and served as Council Chair for the Resident Council.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Crossroads Nazarene Church, 2950 W. Ray Road in Chandler, on Saturday, October 4, 2025, at 1:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Barb's name to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or The Salvation Army.