Longtime Scotts Valley resident Frederick Dean Cummings, 77, died Oct . 4 at his home in the Santa Cruz Ranch RV Park, where he had lived since 1976. No services are planned.
Mr. Cummings was born in Portland, Ore., and also lived in Tillamook, Astoria and Medford, Ore. At about the age of 10, he moved with his father and grandmother to Sacramento.
Mr. Cummings, known as Dean to his family, joined the U.S. Navy in 1955. He attended boot camp at the U.S. Naval Training Center in San Diego and was assigned to the U.S.S. Diachenko, a Navy destroyer, and was sent to Japan. It was then he learned he was prone to seasickness. When he re-enlisted, he was stationed on a Navy minesweeper. He volunteered for three tours of duty in Vietnam and was proud to be a Vietnam veteran. After 20 years of Navy service, he retired and settled in Scotts Valley.
Mr. Cummings was self taught in painting, electric work, general carpentry and gardening. He worked for his father in the A Rental Center in Saratoga and at Santa’s Village in Scotts Valley.
Family said Mr. Cummings loved to drive and owned several Cadillacs. After buying his first, he donned a chauffeur’s suit and cap and opened a limo service in the Scotts Valley area.
From the time he was a little boy, Mr. Cummings had dogs. At his death, his faithful Foxy was close by. He also planted rosebushes throughout the RV park and surrounded his trailer home with roses and bird feeders.
Mr. Cummings is survived by his sisters, Jennifer Cummings and Pam Day of Greenbrae.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Fern Cummings, and brother, Nick Cummings.
