Benjamin "Ben" Edgar Bess Cummings

Benjamin “Ben” Edgar Bess Cummings

Loving Husband, Father, & Grandfather –

Ben’s survivors include his wife of 31 years, Michelle (White) Cummings; his seven children: Tania Amalina Campbell, Alejandro “Alex” Benjamin Cummings, Anita Sofia Cummings, Francisco Xavier Cummings, Laird Gillian Cummings, Megan Ashley Martin, Heather Alexis Petit; his 13 grandchildren: Aidan Daniel Campbell, Natalie Anne Campbell, Selena Rayne Campbell, Avery Joseph Cummings, Emma Catherine Cummings, Francisco Xavier Cummings Jr, Ian Scott Cummings, Lindsay Caelyn Cummings, Nina Lucia Cummings, Brendan Michael Hurd, Gabriel Ian Hurd, Meriel Freelove Hurd, Rowan Alexandra Hurd; his niece, Catherine Ann Cummings; and his nephew, James Martin Cummings.

In 2011, Google described Ben as:

"Officer / Scientist / Academic / Civil Servant / Retired / Writing: Winning the Army Way"

Google forgot to mention:

oil field ditch digger and roughneck, high school athlete, national debate champion, professional musician, scholar (four degrees from CalTech), Air Force flight test engineer, loyal friend, tenacious adversary and (most important to Ben) devoted family man.

Ben's favorite thing to do: "To solve good problems with good people."

When asked what kind of engineer he was, Ben always replied, "A damn good one!"

Ben's mission: "To help the soldier."

Ben's motto: "Family first!"

The world has lost a brilliant light. Heaven has gained a beacon.

Ben’s family will be remembering his life privately.  Cremation was private.

Committal ceremony with military honors will be on Friday, October 4, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. in the Baltimore National Cemetery in Catonsville, MD

Contributions in celebration of Ben's life may be made to the charity of your choice, or to one of Ben's favorites:

• Wounded Warriors Project (Ben was devoted to helping our soldiers)

• Animal Rescue Inc (Ben enjoyed a life of loving dogs)

• Feeding America (Ben knew hunger as a child and never wanted so see another child go hungry)

Ben’s family has entrusted his care to Buhrig Funeral Home and Crematory in Mechanicsburg, (717) 766-3421.  Read Ben’s full obituary and sign his official guest book at Buhrig.com.

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Donations may be made to:

Wounded Warrior Project

PO Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675-8517

Web: https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org

Animal Rescue, Inc

2 Heritage Farm Drive, New Freedom, PA 17349

Web: https://www.animalrescueinc.org

Feeding America, P.O. Box 96749, Washington, D.C. 20090-6749

Web: https://www.feedingamerica.org