Howard Cummins, 1924-2017: Avid cyclist, founder of Kansas City Bicycle Club & early organizer & rider, Tour of Kansas City
Howard Cummins, one of the founders and early President of the Kansas City Bicycle Club and resident of Lee's Summit, passed away February 9th at age 92:
Howard Coeyman Cummins of Lee’s Summit, Missouri passed away February 9th, 2017. Mr. Cummins was born September 17, 1924 in Nutley, New Jersey.
Mr. Cummins was a veteran of WWII having proudly served his country in the Army Air Corps. He was a member of the 413th Fighter Squadron, 414th Fighter Group, 7th Fighter Command stationed on Iwo Jima at cessation of hostilities.
Howard held a Master’s Degree in education, and retired from the Smithville public schools system. Mr. Cummins was an avid cyclist and a founding member of the Kansas City Bicycle Club. He was a member of the Austin Healey Club of America and a long time participant in the Meals on Wheels program.
He is survived by: the love of his life for 66 years, Carolyn Cummins; two sons, Mark and his wife Elizabeth and Stephen; three grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Cummins raced every year of the Tour of Kansas City early in its history, and by the fifth year was helping to organize it. The Tour of Kansas City web site has some detailed information about the 1968 Tour of Kansas City, including these comments about Cummins:
The race will be run on a 1.1 mile circuit in Penn Valley Park. The Penn Valley course is regarded as one of the area’s toughest because of its two hairpin curves, a breath-taking downhill decent, and a grueling uphill climb.
Howard Cummins, an experienced local racer who has compete in every Tour of Kansas City, says that only riders in the very peak of condition will be able to negotiate the required 32 laps at racing speed. . .
This event will draw riders from over Missouri and from Iowa, Kansas and Illinois.
The Penn Valley course is 1.1 miles in length and has a sharp decent, a steep uphill climb, and two hairpin curves. Spectators are invited to observe the race from all points on the course. Start and finish will be at a line just east of the tennis courses in the south part of the park.
Co-chairman of the race and riding for the Kansas City Bike club are Dennis Scott, 6208 North Hoard, Gladstone; Howard Cummins, 5806 North Woodland, Gladstone, and Leon Lants, 631 East Seventy-forth terrace.
Cummins legacy for bicycling in Kansas City is still going strong. The Kansas City Bicycle Club recently merged with the Johnson County Bicycle Club and changed its name to Cycling Kansas City. The club is very active, with several annual rides, an annual banquet, and a new rider development program called RiDE. And the club is bigger than ever--currently around 1000 members.
The Tour of Kansas City is preparing for its 54th year, with a Gran Fondo May 27th and two days of racing on the historic Cliff Drive and Crossroads District course June 24th and 25th, 2017.
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