WILLIAMSBURG — Eileen O’Shea Cummings, 78, passed away peacefully Sunday, July 5, 2020, after a two-year decline from vascular dementia, complicated recently by the COVID-19 virus.
Eileen grew up in Washington Heights, Manhattan, and attended St. Elizabeth’s School in Manhattan and Aquinas High School in the Bronx, which she loved, and where she financially supported several students in later years. She won a chemistry scholarship to Notre Dame College on Staten Island, but after one year, she left to work and prepare for marriage to her high school sweetheart Doug.
She met her husband Doug in 1956 during her freshman year in high school, and they dated until marriage in 1962. In 1964, Eileen and Doug moved to Staten Island, where they lived for 24 years, raising four children. Eileen was active in Sacred Heart parish St. Monica’s Guild for many years. She continued her education, gaining a B.A. Degree in Psychology from Richmond College (1975) and an MBA in Finance (1981) from St. John’s University.
She rejoined the workforce in 1981, working for Blue Cross in NYC and then joining AT&T in New Jersey as a computer programmer. She transferred to Bell Communication Research Inc. (Bellcore) as a systems analyst and was ultimately promoted to product manager for newly developed internet network projects.
Eileen retired from Bellcore after 17 years. In 1998, she moved to Williamsburg from Morristown, New Jersey, where she and Doug had lived for 10 years. She was very active in retirement, volunteering at the Kimball Theatre in Colonial Williamsburg, Sentara Williamsburg Hospital, Meals on Wheels, and for 12 years, at the Historic Jamestown National Park information desk. She also participated in the Williamsburg James City County (WJCC) Library book club. She was very proud that she learned to swim as an adult, and she ensured that all her children learned to swim at the YMCA. She enjoyed swimming and exercising daily at the WJCC Rec Center.
Eileen and Doug enjoyed traveling and had been to all 50 states, six continents and 70 different countries. Eileen loved the U.S. National Parks, particularly those in the west and visited many, counting Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons among her favorites.
Eileen and Doug were married for 58 years and have three sons and one daughter and nine grandchildren who live in Florida, Maryland, Texas and Virginia. Eileen was preceded in death by her parents, Michael and Abbie O’Shea of Manhattan, both originally from County Kerry, Ireland; and sister, Mary Margaret O’Shea of Long Beach, New York. She is survived by her loving husband Doug; son, Andrew, and his wife, Yve, of Jacksonville, Florida, and children, Erin (Jaron) of Sanford, Florida, and Nicholas of Washington, D.C.; daughter, Dr. Lorraine, and her husband, Lincoln, and children, Lochlan and Lincoln, of Baltimore, Maryland; son, Matthew, and his wife, Yolanda, and children, Julianna, Madison and Joseph, of Weslaco, Texas; her son, Dennis, and his wife, Megan, and children, Kennedy and Hunter, of North Chesterfield; sister, Theresa O’Shea Oury, and her husband, Ray, of Uniondale, New York; sister-in-law, Jill Cummings Skelly, and her husband, Bob, of Williamsburg; and seven nephews and two nieces.
Due to the COVID-19 virus, funeral services will be limited to immediate family.
The family would like to sincerely thank the staff at Brookdale Chambrel, particularly recognizing the excellent care Eileen received at Clare Bridge.
Share online condolences with the family at Bucktrout of Williamsburg Funeral Service.
Mrs. Cummings’ obituary was updated at 1:30 p.m., Monday, July 13.
