Daniel Joseph Cummings

Daniel Joseph Cummings age 73 a longtime resident of South Byron passed away at UMMC on December 29, 2025 after a lengthy illness. He was born in Miami, Florida to the late Joseph and Marcella (Haseman) Cummings on November 22, 1952.

Dan’s family moved to Buffalo during his teens where he graduated from Clarence High School in 1970. He remained in Western New York for the rest of his life, attending Genesee Community College and then transferring to Cornell University where he graduated with a B.S. in Horticulture.

Dan was a Buffalo Bills fan and also liked watching NASCAR. Sunday afternoons he could be found in front of the television with snacks and an IPA craft beer cheering on his favorite drivers or players. He watched reels on YouTube and was especially fond of goats. As Dan’s health deteriorated his rescue dog often joined him on the recliner for a nap. Tobi was a faithful and devoted companion.

Dan had a sense of adventure, hitchhiking across the United States in the early 1970s. He started in Western NY visiting places like the Grand Canyon and ending in California. He met many good people who shared food and offered him rides confirming his faith in humanity.

Dan was an honest hardworking man always providing for his family. Over the course of his life he had a career doing landscaping, driving for UPS for over 20 years, and retired as a toll collector on the NYS Thruway.

On May 27, 1978 Daniel married his beloved wife Kathy (Stokes) Cummings. Dan was her first and only love spending over 52 years together. She was always there for him during doctor’s appointments, hospital stays, and nursing care at home. Her devotion was apparent through the years of his declining health. He will be sadly missed by 3 children – Melannie (Shawn) Maher of Batavia, Laura Cummings of South Byron and Andrew (Allison) Cummings of Canandaigua. He leaves behind 4 treasured grandchildren – Jonathan and Henry Maher and Autumn and Alice Cummings. He is also survived by brothers William, Joseph (Kris), Timothy Cummings, and a sister Sally (Stephen) Long all of Florida. In-laws include Douglas Stokes, Bruce Stokes, Sandra (Craig) Gillard.

In addition to his parents Dan was predeceased by his mother-in-law Alice Stokes. She made her home with the Cummings family for over 35 years. Dan was always kind and caring toward Alice, treating her with love and respect.

Friends and family may call on Friday, January 9, 2026 from 1 pm to 3 pm at the H.E. Turner & Co. Funeral Home, 403 East Main Street, Batavia. Memorial services will immediately follow visitation at 3 pm at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Volunteer for Animals, P.O. Box 1621, Batavia, New York 14021.