Naomi Faye Cummings

Naomi Faye Cummings, 90, of Wapakoneta, entered her heavenly home at 4:46 p.m. on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. She was born on September 25, 1935, in Columbus, Ohio, to Cloyd and Marie Cook. On February 27, 1955, she married W. Dean Cummings. They shared nearly 60 years of marriage before his passing on January 30, 2015.

Naomi is survived by two of her sisters, Nita Grossman of Lancaster, Ohio, and Mollie Pool of Columbus, Ohio; her daughters, Sheryl (Steven) Froehlich of Ithaca, New York, and Lynne (Ken) German of Virginia Beach, Virginia; and her son, Kevin Cummings of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She was a proud grandmother to seven grandchildren, Christopher, Jonathan, and Timothy Froehlich; Madelaine Vogel, Eliza German, Brooke German, and Iris Lyons; and a beloved great-grandmother to eight great-grandchildren, Hayden, Eli, and Nadia Froehlich; Dimitri Anible; Scarlett and Cedar Lyons; Gizele and Vance Vogel.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her brothers, Ralph and Ned Cook, and her sisters, Ferne Myers and Martha Gilkerson George.

Naomi graduated from North High School in Columbus in 1953 and attended Olivet Nazarene University in Kankakee, Illinois, for one year. She fondly recalled playing basketball there and proudly shared the story of scoring 18 points in a single game.

Her life was centered first on her family and then on supporting her husband, Dean, in both business and ministry. During the years Dean owned Cummings Grain Company, Naomi worked faithfully with him. After selling the elevator in 1978, they moved to Greenville, South Carolina, where she worked part-time as a secretary for James River Corporation. As Dean became increasingly involved in the Real Life college campus ministry, Naomi became the consummate hostess, warmly opening their home for gatherings, meals, and lively evenings of games with students and staff.

In 1992, they relocated to Harrisonburg, Virginia, where Naomi worked for 13 years as a transcriptionist for James Whitney, DDS. Later, in 2005, Naomi and Dean moved to Wapakoneta to enjoy their retirement years in the familiar rural community of his roots, reconnecting with family and longtime friends, while forging new friendships.

Granddaughter Brooke affectionately reflects:"She was a loving and devoted grandmother who expressed love best through a warm meal and a full table. Her love for games brought the family together. She moved through the world in her own thoughtful way, seeing details others often missed. Her hair was always perfectly styled, a point of pride and frequent conversation. She leaves behind stories, recipes, and memories that will continue to make us smile."

The family wishes to publicly thank the staff at Wapakoneta Manor, especially the nurses and aides, for the tender ways they cared for Naomi during her last days. Additionally, the staff at Legacy Hospice were superb in their attention to Naomi and in their collective communication with daughters Sheryl and Lynne who live out-of-state and were unable to be present with their Mom day to day as she declined. Finally, no words can express the family's gratitude for Jackie Numbers, who selflessly gave herself to visiting and caring for Naomi the many times distance prevented family from being present.

Funeral services will begin at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, February 28, 2026 at Harvest Baptist Church. Pastor Tony Dirr will officiate, and interment will follow at Willow Branch Cemetery. Family and friends may visit from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service. Memorial contributions may be directed to Harvest Baptist Church. The family has entrusted Schlosser Funeral Home & Cremation Services to handle the arrangements.