Pamela Cummings

Pamela Jo Cummings of Westminster, Colorado, died peacefully on October 7, 2022, after a long fight with Cancer. She was in hospice care and surrounded by family.

Ms. Cummings was a twenty-one-year employee of the Colorado Department of Corrections. She taught computer skills to offenders at the Colorado Women’s Correctional Facility located in Denver. Certified by Microsoft and Cisco, she was a key educator within the Department’s Cisco Networking Academy. Her work had a profoundly positive effect on her students; many female offenders, after completing her classes, re-entered society with improved and marketable skills.

Pamela Jo Cummings was born September 9, 1960, in Norwalk, Connecticut. She was the fourth child of Augustus “Gus” and Elizabeth “Betty” Cummings. She had two brothers, Gus (1954) and Michael (1957) and a sister Linda (1958).

In her 1960 annual family Christmas Letter, Betty wrote: “She fooled us and wasn’t born until September 9. Pamela is a doll and has been a very good baby from the very start. All the children are crazy about her.”

As a toddler, Pamela and the family lived in Connecticut. When Pamela was in 4th grade, the family moved to the rural Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. The family then relocated to Louisville, Kentucky for four years.

In 1974 the family lived in Philadelphia. At Christmas that year, Betty wrote, “This past summer was a great one for Pamela, she was a ball-person for the Philadelphia Freedoms (World Tennis Team) …she got to meet her idol Billie Jean King … it was like a dream come true for her.”

After a short residence in Wilmington, North Carolina, the family settled permanently in 1976 in Littleton, Colorado.

Pamela was then a junior at Columbine High School. Betty’s 1976 holiday letter mentioned that Pamela “is our athlete, out for tennis, volleyball and is manager of the basketball team … she isn’t too fond of downhill skiing but does enjoy cross-country.”

Pamela graduated from Columbine in June 1978. An interest in photography first led her to the Colorado Institute of Art for a certificate in photography. Then, in 1992 she graduated from the Community College of Denver with an Associate Degree in Industrial Drafting.

By 2000 Pamela had developed an interest in Criminal Justice. She was first hired by the Colorado Department of Corrections (“CDOC”) on September 1, 2001. Pamela began as a Correctional Industries Supervisor I for the computer aided Design program at the Women’s Facility. In that position she was the shop supervisor and trainer for computer aided industrial drafting.

To advance further in her career, Pamela enrolled with the Metropolitan State College of Denver. Recognizing her ambition and talent the CDOC promoted her to the position of a technical educator. In 2004 Metro State conferred upon Pamela a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology. Again, to advance her career, Pamela returned to College in 2007 and obtained from Colorado State University a Colorado Vocational Credential. CDOC promoted her then to a full-time accredited Teacher at the Women’s facility.

Pamela’s family was progressing as well.  Her oldest brother, Gus Cummings III and his wife Mary had six children, Jason, David, Michael, Sarah, Ben and Amy. Her brother Michael and his wife Lisa had a son Parker, and her sister Linda Chalat and her husband Jim had four children, Alexandra, Rachel, Grace and Harris.

Pamela was a beloved aunt. She could always be counted on for a movie, a day at an amusement or water park, to be a sitter, and to join the family for travel.  Her young nieces and nephews could always rely on seeing her up in the stands or sidelines at gymnastics meets, football, soccer, and lacrosse games, across Colorado. Many notable trips revolved around family life cycle events, including graduations and weddings across Colorado, California, Michigan and upstate New York.

Other fun family trips were taken to Cozumel, Hawaii, and New York City. Of particular interest was a trip to Washington D.C., for a visit to the Smithsonian National Zoo to see the giant pandas.  Her love for and concern for saving the giant pandas was reflected in Pamela’s own affection for her own beloved pets which over time included a cat named Jasper and a dog named Miranda.

Pamela was first diagnosed with Cancer in 2011. With the support of her co-workers and the Department, she was able to return to work in good time, and to fully discharge her responsibilities as a teacher at the facility. Over the past ten years she had several setbacks. She fought tenaciously through each one and with the support of a circle of friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, and the Department, she remained on staff.

She went on temporary disability in April 2022. Her sister Linda recalls that at a dinner, over the 2022 Labor Day weekend, Pamela stated she felt well enough to return to work. Sadly, that wasn’t to be, and she was hospitalized in late September.

Pamela’s life was guided by the principles of equality, access to justice, and a belief that all persons deserved fair treatment regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, orientation, or past record. Her focus at work was the betterment of her students and providing hope and opportunity for the inmates of the facility.

Pamela was preceded in death by her father Augustus (2009) and her mother Elizabeth (2019).

Pamela is survived by her three siblings, and by her eleven nieces, nephews plus their own children.

A private ceremony will be planned later in the year.

In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to the World Wildlife fund. Keep Our Planet Wild | World Wildlife Fund

Remembrances can be sent to:

Gus Cummings, III

310 Carson St.

Brush, CO 80723

awcummings@bresnan.net

Michael Cummings

26 Spring Ln

Fairfax, Ca 94930

M.cummings@stroubconstruction.com

Linda Chalat

33212 Meadow Mtn. Rd.

Evergreen, CO 80439