Mary Elizabeth Cumming

1968 - 2015

Mary Elizabeth Cumming
June 26, 1968 - August 11, 2015
Resident of Castro Valley
Mary E. Cumming, a lifelong resident of Castro Valley, passed away August 11, 2015, after a short illness. She was born June 26, 1968 at Eden Hospital in Castro Valley, and attended Proctor Elementary School and Canyon Junior High School in her home city. Mary then enrolled at Moreau Catholic High School in nearby Hayward. After completing her Moreau studies with distinction, Mary obtained her degree in mass communications (with a minor in English) at California State University at Hayward.
Mary was a member of a pioneer Hayward family. Her great, great grandfather (Jacob Harder) was a Danish immigrant, and Harder Road still bears the family name. Mary therefore was very active in the Valborg branch of Dannebrog, the Danish Ladies' s Society of California and Nevada. She was a Valborg officer, a delegate to Grand Lodge conventions and an eager participant at boutiques and other fund raisers. Mary was also proud of her Scottish heritage, and the badge and tartan of Clan Cumming were never far from her side.
But Mary's great loves were always the dramatic arts—stage, film and music. She served as Film and Drama Editor of her university newspaper, and strode the stage in everything from school plays, Girl Scout campfire skits to adult little theatre productions. Mary was also very active in science fiction and other film interest groups throughout the Bay Area, and no one knew her films or pop music better than Mary.
Mary had an enormous intellectual curiosity, and an infectious joie de vivre that she brought to her every activity, to every group she ever joined, and to every person she ever met. We shall greatly miss the spirit and love with which Mary enriched all our lives.
Mary is survived by her parents, Linda and George Cumming; her brother Andrew Cumming (Jodi Main) and their sons A. J. and Brody, all of Castro Valley; her uncles Bruce Cumming (Rhonda) of San Carlos, and Howard Osborne of Castro Valley, and by many cousins: Denise Mortensen (Mike), Rob Cumming, Tom Cumming (Shelly), and Thomas and Scotty Cumming, all of Santa Clara County; Maryann Phillips (David) of Nashville TN, Scott Chapman (Tanya) of Victoria B.C.; Carol Frick of Graton; Janice Cumming (Peter Hoppe) and Shauna Keddy of Novato; Douglas Cumming (Elizabeth) of Roseville; Don and Donald Osborne of Castro Valley, and Janice Osborne (Joel Silvia) and Upton, Matt and Curtis Adams, all of Willits.
Friends and family are invited to celebrate Mary's life at 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 26, 2015, at Jess C. Spencer Mortuary, 21228 Redwood Road, Castro Valley, CA. Donations to the Salvation Army, or a charity of your choice, are suggested.