Caryl Ann Cummings

CARYL ANN (CLOW) CUMMINGS (NEE WEEKS)

Mom was born in Charlottetown in 1936, along with her twin brother Wayne, the third and fourth children of Olga (Anderson) and Albert Weeks. She would eventually have ten siblings in total, including a second set of twins. She grew up in Charlottetown and eventually Winsloe, where her famous fiddling and step-dancing grandfather lived. Food and warmth were often scarce but mom never spoke poorly of her childhood. She always spoke affectionately of her parents, siblings, extended family, friends and neighbours.

She was the first to marry and moved to a farm in Darlington in 1955 with her new husband, Elmer Clow. When she was nineteen, her mother became ill and moved with mom’s ten other siblings to Edmonton where their father had found work. Her mother passed away not long after. Mom was devastated by the loss of her beloved mother and the separation from her siblings.

She and Elmer found joy in their children, their work and their community. Sadly, at the age of twenty-three, she lost one of her three-month-old twin sons to crib-death and at the age of twenty-nine, with five children under ten years old, including a four-month-old infant, she lost Elmer to cancer. She sold the farm and moved to North Wiltshire the following year. She remarried and his work eventually took the family to Kensington in 1974.

Mom loved to socialize, laugh, sing and dance. She was a talented artist and enjoyed many years of art classes and art groups. She got involved in both her church and community. She particularly enjoyed many years of bowling – something she was also gifted at. Like most grandparents, she loved to watch and support her children and grandchildren as they participated in their various activities. She cherished her trips to Edmonton to see her family and their visits to PEI.

Despite the tragedy and adversity in her life, mom was never bitter. She wasn’t worldly but she was gifted with an abundance of kindness and intuitive mothering skills. She raised and loved her children unconditionally without frustration, anger or judgement. She will be forever missed by her five children: Bonnie Murray (Jeff Hampden), Debbie MacMurdo (David), Jamie Clow (Juliana Elsinga), Dawna Woodside (David) and Leslie Clow; her 15 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. She is survived by her sister Sandria Weeks in BC and four brothers: Albert (Sonny), Temple, Merrill and Graham, all of Edmonton.

Besides her parents and step-mother Betty Embree, mom was predeceased by her infant son Terry; her husband Elmer Clow; her second husband Jim Cummings; five siblings: Barbara Fodchuk, Dawn Stanley, her twin brother Wayne, Yrinda and Dean; as well as Dean’s son Jeffery and Yrinda’s daughter Mona Hutchinson.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Caryl can be made to the Kensington Intermediate Senior High School (KISH) Arts Program or Athletics Program.

Resting at Davison Funeral Home, Kensington. Visitation will take place on Saturday, May 30^th from 10:30 am – 12 pm. A funeral service will follow in the Davison Funeral Home Chapel which will be available to view online. Interment will be in Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, Pleasant Valley. Condolences may be offered to the family at www.davisonfh.com