ON MAY 25TH AT SEVEN OAKS HOSPITAL, RHODA CUMMINGS PASSED AWAY WITH
HER SON BURTON BY HER SIDE. THE FOLLOWING IS A REMEMBRANCE FROM
BURTON...

MY MOTHER, RHODA, WAS STRONG...VERY STRONG. IN THE LATE NINETEEN
FORTIES, SHE FOUND HERSELF IN AN ABUSIVE MARRIAGE WITH A YEAR OLD SON,
AND SHE HAD THE STRENGTH TO TAKE HER SON (ME) AND LEAVE THE ABUSE FOR
A BETTER LIFE FOR BOTH OF US. THAT WAS AN ERA WHEN VERY FEW WOMEN LEFT
ABUSIVE SITUATIONS...MANY OR MOST OF THEM STAYED AND "TOOK IT". AS
SOON AS I WAS OLD ENOUGH TO APPRECIATE THAT SHE HAD DONE THAT, I LOVED
AND RESPECTED HER ON A MUCH DEEPER, MORE INTENSE LEVEL.

AS A CHILD WITH ONLY ONE PARENT, I SUFFERED FOR OR MISSED NOTHING. MY MOTHER
IMMEDIATELY WENT TO WORK AT EATON'S TO SUPPORT ME, AND REMAINED
EMPLOYED THERE UNTIL SHE RETIRED IN HER SIXTIES. SHE WAS THE ONE WHO
ENCOURAGED AND EVENTUALLY FORCED ME TO PURSUE THE PIANO LESSONS. ONCE,
WHEN I QUIT FOR A YEAR, SHE EVENTUALLY "PERSUADED" ME TO RESUME THE
STUDIES. TO THIS DAY I'M THANKFUL FOR THAT. SHE METICULOUSLY SAVED AND
MANAGED EVERY BIT OF INCOME SHE ACQUIRED THROUGH THE YEARS, GIVING ME
A CHILDHOOD THAT MOST ANY KID WOULD ENVY...ALL THIS WITHOUT A HUSBAND
FOR HER OR A FATHER FOR ME.

RHODA WAS WELL LIKED AT EATON'S AND ACTIVELY PURSUED HER MANY
INTERESTS WITH LIFE LONG FRIENDS SHE HAD MADE THERE. SHE LOVED SPORTS,
PLAYING ORGANIZED BASEBALL, CURLING, AND LAWN BOWLING IN LATER YEARS.
SHE MUST HAVE BEEN PRETTY GOOD AT THE CURLING, AS I HAVE A PHOTO OF
HER AS ONE OF THE EATON'S LADIES CURLING CHAMPS.

SHE LOVED GOING TO THE MOVIES...AND SHE LOVED SOCIAL GATHERINGS WITH
HER FRIENDS FROM WORK AND CHURCH...AND SHE LOVED SPORTS. SHE
INSTILLED IN ME THAT SAME ARDENT FASCINATION WITH SPORTS.

WHEN I TOLD HER I WAS LEAVING HIGH SCHOOL IN 1965, RATHER THAN OVER
REACTING AND DRAMATIZING, SHE ADVISED ME TO PURSUE MUSIC AS STRONGLY
AS I POSSIBLY COULD. I THINK I TRIED EVEN HARDER AFTER THAT.

IN THE LATER HALF OF HER LIFE, SHE WAS ABLE TO TRAVEL A BIT, AND SHE TOLD ME
REPEATEDLY HOW SHE HAD LOVED JAMAICA, GREAT BRITAIN, SCOTLAND AND
HAWAII...I RECALL ONE TIME WHEN SHE VISITED ME IN LOS ANGELES, AND WE
TOOK THE TOUR OF THE QUEEN MARY TOGETHER. I COULD SEE HER ENVISIONING
HERSELF TRAVELING THE OCEAN ON THIS MAGNIFICENT LINER, AND IT MADE ME
SMILE DEEP INSIDE...

MY MOM GAVE ME THE GIFTS OF MUSIC, CURIOSITY, AND THE LOVE FOR LIFE,
BESIDES ALL THE MATERIAL CREATURE COMFORTS ANY ONE COULD EVER ASK FOR.
SHE DID VERY WELL IN SCHOOL, WINNING SCHOLARSHIPS AT BOTH LUXTON AND
ST. JOHN'S. I DON'T THINK I EVER SAW HER PROUDER THAN THE DAY I WAS
RECEIVED INTO THE ORDER OF CANADA. I'M ETERNALLY GRATEFUL THAT SHE
LIVED TO SEE THAT ACHIEVEMENT.

RHODA WAS A WONDERFUL LADY, MOTHER, AND FRIEND. THOSE WHO MET OR SPENT
TIME WITH HER WILL KNOW THAT FIRST HAND. WE NEVER WANTED FLOWERS OR
DONATIONS TO ANY ORGANIZATIONS...JUST REMEMBER RHODA FROM TIME TO
TIME...THAT'S MORE THAN ENOUGH, AND I'M SURE SHE WOULD AGREE...SOMEONE
IS NEVER REALLY GONE WHILE YOU CARRY WITH YOU THEIR MEMORY...

BURTON LORNE CUMMINGS JUNE 2012