Obituary of Jean Cummins

Jean T. Cummins passed away at home in Somerset, NJ while surrounded by her family on July 1, 2020. Born October 3, 1927 in Newark, NJ, she resided in North Plainfield, NJ for over 50 years and then at Somerset Run in Somerset, NJ since 2005. She graduated from Good Counsel High School in Newark and attended Drake Business School. She was employed by Philbrico, Newark, NJ as an administrative assistant and worked for a short time at Holy Cross Pre-school in North Plainfield. However, her primary role and most cherished role was as a loving mother and homemaker for her large immediate family and supportive grandmother, great grandmother, and a “second mother,” to many others. Jean was a dedicated, faithful parishioner of St. Joseph Catholic Church in North Plainfield, where she was an Eucharistic Minister, adult education teacher, member and also president of the Rosary Society, and chair of the Respect Life Committee, for which she and her husband were jointly recognized by the Diocese of Metuchen with the annual Pro-Vida Award. For more than two decades, she was actively involved in the PTA of St. Joseph’s Elementary School and often served as a class mother. She was active in providing help at McAuley School for Exceptional Children, served as a soup kitchen volunteer, and throughout her lifer provided friendship and aid to many people in need. Jean was predeceased by her loving husband of 66 years, Joseph P Cummins, parents William Flynn and Florence McGinty Flynn Campbell and stepfather Leo Campbell, sister Elaine Sarli, daughter and son-in-law Ellen and Carl Santaniello, and grandson Matthew. With their strong faith and trust in God, Jean and Joe raised their large family including Ellen and her surviving children: Joe (Marianne) of Dunellen; Bill (Betsy) of Annapolis, MD; Pete (Cathie) of Egg Harbor and Hendersonville, TN; Mary of Somerset; Tim (Mary) of Rockville, MD; Jean (Julio) Valencia of North Plainfield; Patty (Ramon) Martinez of Middlesex; John (Laura) of Warrenton, VA; Tom (Kerrie) of Bridgewater; and Maureen (Brian) Ryan of Middlesex. Jean is also survived by 39 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, and nieces Sister Madeline Sarli, Kathleen Sarli, and Louise (nee Reilly) Saletta. Family and friends are invited to Higgins Funeral Home, 752 Mountain Ave., Watchung, NJ for visitation on Sunday, July 5th from 3 PM to 5:00 PM. A private family funeral mass will be at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in North Plainfield on Monday July 6th. Attendance at the burial at Resurrection Burial Park, Piscataway, will be restricted to family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Joseph Church, 41 Manning Ave., North Plainfield, NJ 07060, or the Raritan Pregnancy Aid and Information Center, 59 Thompson Street, Raritan, NJ 08869.