When Katie Cummins died May 1, she left a legacy even richer than the partial list of her accomplishments in her obituary last week, and even richer than the accomplishment of making 101 years of life, most of them spent in Culver.
Cummins saw work in a laundry list of Culver businesses (“I was born in South Bend and we moved here…July 3, 1920,” she told the Citizen last February. “On July 5, I went to work shampooing hair!”) including F.G. Solomon’s in downtown Culver as a teen, McKinnis pharmacy and Mr. T’s drug store in the 1970s and 80s, the downtown A&P store, Bob Taylor’s five and dime, Conklin’s grocery store on Main Street, Wickizer’s general store, for Bill Taber at the newsstand, at Culver Academy’s officer’s club, to name a few. “I had a lot of bosses,” she smiled.

Her father opened Ewald’s meat market on Main Street, just south of today’s Gladie’s Deli, in the future Gretter’s grocery store. From there, Milt Ewald watched the 1933 State Exchange Bank robbery and grabbed his gun to assist in its prevention.
She met her late husband Carey at Mickle and Mack’s restaurant on the north side of Lake Shore Drive, where Carey waited on Katie and friend Bea, to whom she said, “I’m going to marry him.”
Through the years, Cummins was involved in a number of activities and organizations. Besides her membership in anything and everything pertaining to music in high school – including an award-winning choral group – she is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Wesley United Methodist Church, and Culver’s VFW.
She witnessed such landmark Culver events as the 1929 fire that destroyed the historic Lakeview hotel, and a massive train wreck that deposited tons of coal into the town park.
She was honored twice in the annual Lakefest parade in Culver, most recently at the 25th anniversary festival last July. Until last year, she lived on her own in Culver, looking at least 20 years her junior.
“I graduated in Culver and I suppose it was just home, that’s all,” she told the Citizen then. It’s safe to say Katie Cummins’ affection for Culver was mutual; she was a beloved and revered personality here, and will be remembered fondly by many. The Citizen offers condolences to her family, including regular Citizen correspondent Bobetta Ruhnow.