Richard D. Cummins

1927 - 2024

Richard ('Dick') Dale Cummins, 97, passed away Nov. 27, 2024. He was born Aug. 10, 1927, and grew up in McConnells Mills, PA. After graduating from Canonsburg High School in 1945, he served in the United States Navy. Following the end of WWII, he attended General Motors Institute in Flint, Michigan, and entered the family business, Cummins Motor Sales. In the early 1960s he transitioned the business from Buick to foreign luxury cars and was one of the first BMW dealers in the United States. Over the years the business sold Alfa Romeo, Bricklin, Buick, Excalibur, Isuzu, Metropolitan, Opal, Panther, Peugeot, Rambler, Renault, Rover, Saab, TVR, Volvo, and Yugo. Richard and his wife, Mary Anne, enjoyed many trips earned by achieving various brand dealer of excellence awards, at one point earning the BMW honor for six consecutive years. Richard met Mary Anne at a dance at West View Park Danceland, and they married in 1965, living for many years at Gateway Towers in downtown Pittsburgh before moving to Washington Square in Mt. Lebanon. Richard enjoyed fine dining, travel, and following the stock market and was devoted to the care of their beloved cats, many of which were rescues. He was known for his friendly smile and distinctive style, always wearing light colors and a linen or seersucker blazer, sometimes with a stain from an open felt tip marker he accidentally left in his pocket. Richard was a man of to-do lists and plans with goals. As recently as several months ago, he walked indoors a mile a day and was working to obtain that distance again after a recent hospitalization. He was generous by nature, giving away gift cards as a token of appreciation and always wishing people 'Good luck' when they parted. He was especially proud of his Irish, Scottish, and Welsh ancestry and visited Ireland many times, including at the height of The Troubles. Throughout his life, he was an early adopter of technology, including the first car phones and iPhones. He loved all sports, but especially baseball, both as a player in his youth and as a lifelong Pittsburgh Pirates fan. He volunteered as a family liaison in the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Emergency Department and received many awards, including Volunteer of the Year. Richard also served as a volunteer escort for disabled travelers at Pittsburgh International Airport and as a member of the Canonsburg Chamber of Commerce, where he was instrumental in the procurement of the Perry Como Memorial Statue. Following 9/11, Richard arranged a bus tour for the residents of his condo association to the crash site of Flight 93 in Shanksville, PA. This became the first of many tours and events he arranged for his fellow residents. Richard was a 75+ year member of the Masons (Chartiers Lodge No. 297) and a 50+ year member of the Order of the Scottish Rite. Richard is preceded in death by his mother, Margaret Phillips Cummins; father, Clifford Dale Cummins; brother-in-law, Emeric Gaslevich; and sister-in-law, Marie Gaslevich. He is survived by Mary Anne Gaslevich Cummins, devoted wife to 'The Richard' for 59 years; their beloved cat Hetty; his loving sister Shirley Cummins of Bluffton, SC; and the nieces and nephew to whom he was a wonderful uncle: Rebecca Bugos of Cincinnati, OH; Sarah Cruise of Bluffton, SC; Joyce Filauri of Pittsburgh, PA; Marian Gallagher of Cordova, MD; and James Gaslevich of Hunt Valley, MD. A celebration of Richard's life will be held Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, at 11 a.m. at WILLIAM SLATER II FUNERAL SERVICE, (412-563-2800), 1650 Greentree Rd., Pittsburgh, PA 15220. All who knew Richard are welcome. In honor of Richard and in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to an animal rescue organization of your choice.