Author: Duane Fickeisen
The Rev. Dr. John Cummins
The Reverend Dr. John Cummins—remembered for his wry humor and a 23-year ministry to the First Universalist Church of Minneapolis (1963–86), recognized for many more years as a local leader in liberal religious and social causes, and deeply venerated as a mentor to younger ministers and aspiring seminarians—died 11 December 2021, aged 95.
When the call rang out in 1965 to bear witness for justice in Selma, John Cummins showed up. As an opponent of the Vietnam war, he counseled more than 500 draft resisters and conscientious objectors. Preaching on the Watergate scandal, he titled his sermon, “Malice in Blunderland.”
John Cummins was born on 8 September 1926 to Alice E. (Grimm) and the Rev. Dr. Robert Cummins, who for many years was the General Superintendent of the Universalist Church of America and a leader in consolidating the Universalists and Unitarians in 1961. Enrolling at Bowdoin College (Brunswick ME), John joined a college fraternity but withdrew on discovering that they refused entry to Jews and Blacks. A screed, “Fraternity Without Brotherhood,” was John’s outraged response. He completed work for his B.A. in 1947, went on to graduate from Harvard Divinity School, and was ordained in 1950.
After parish settlements in Brunswick ME (1950–54) and Waltham MA (1954–63), the Rev’d Mr. Cummins took a call to First Universalist in Minneapolis, where he would remain until retirement and honored as emeritus thereafter. Members recall him as “prophetic, a caretaker, nurturer, and something of a poet,” helped perhaps by the editorial pencil of his spouse, Drusilla (“Dru”). “Your ideas soar like eagles,” she once told him, “but your grammar has webbed feet.”
In an interview at 90, John looked back, “I was naïve, an idealist, a dreamer, a humanist, a visionary, I guess, and I don’t regret any of it.”
John was preceded in death by spouse Dru and a son, Christopher. He is survived by daughter Carol and son Clyde. In a celebration of life at First Universalist Church of Minneapolis on 20 December 2021, no fewer than six colleagues offered tributes to John’s warmth, gentleness, humility, wit, and pastoral presence.
The Rev. Vivienne Chapman
The Rev. Vivienne Chapman died on December 7, 2021, at the age of 94.
Vivienne is survived by her four children, Caroline Guild, Todd Guild, Katherine Guild, and Sylvia Guild Beaudoin; by her elder sister, Paulette C. Loomis; and by her five grandchildren; as well as nieces and nephews.
A memorial service is being planned.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Faith & Family Hospice Foundation, 420 Lakeside Ave., Suite 203A, Marlborough, MA, 01752. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.
Notes of condolence can be sent to the family in care of Sylvia Guild Beaudoin, 4 Kendal Common Rd., Weston, MA 02493-2160.
A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed.
Oct 13, 2021
The Rev. Linda K. Eppert
The Rev. Linda K. Eppert died on November 18, 2021, at the age of 67.
Linda is survived by her husband, Steven Eppert; her sister, Cynthia (Dapper) Trimbell (spouse Derwood Trimbell); two children, Joshua Eppert (spouse Marcie Wahba) and Erinn (Eppert) Tucker (spouse Christopher Tucker); three grandchildren; and several other family members, including a great nephew. She was preceded in death by her parents, John W. Dapper and Mary (Yeager) Dapper.
A memorial service was held at St. John’s Unitarian Universalist Church, 320 Resor Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio, 45220 on December 28, 2021.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Cincinnati Public Radio. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.
Notes of condolence can be sent to Steven Eppert, 3102 Cove View Blvd, Apt D108, Galveston, Texas 77554.
A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed.
The Rev. Dr. Judith “Judy” M. Smith-Valley
The Rev. Dr. Judith “Judy” M. Smith-Valley died on November 16, 2021, at the age of 78.
Judy is survived by her children: son, Glenn Valley and his wife Heidi, of Bahama, NC; daughter, Libby Valley Cirillo and her husband Tony, of North Kingstown, RI; daughter, Susan Woodilla and her husband, Tad of Hermon, ME; son, Richard Smith and his wife, Barbara Dill of Norwood, NJ; grandchildren – Laura (Jon) Conway, Alison Valley, Amanda, Connor, Matthew, and Trevor Cirillo, Katie and Emily Woodilla, Dillon, Chelsea, and Aiden Smith; and great granddaughter Jackie; sister, Charlea Coterel of O’Fallon, Missouri; plus many nieces, nephews, friends and family who filled her heart with joy. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husbands, Terry Valley (1978) and Paul Smith-Valley (2017).
A celebration of life will be held in early 2022.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, 689 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139 or to Project Linus. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.
Notes of condolences can be written here. Cards can be sent to all her children in care of Susan Woodilla, 29 Hermon Heights, Hermon, ME 04401.
A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed
The Rev. Patricia “Patty” Jiménez
The Rev. Patricia “Patty” Jiménez died on November 14, 2021, at the age of 74.
She was predeceased by her husband, Krishna Seshan.
UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.
Notes of condolences can be written here.
A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed.
Dolores Marie Bierman
Dolores Marie Bierman died on November 3, 2021 at the age of 90. Her husband, the Rev. Carl Bierman, died in 2010.
According to a notice in the Albany (New York) Times Union, she was born on April 28, 1931, in Albany, the child of John and Josephine Hart. Dolores was a devoted and loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. She lived and worked in many places during her life, including New York City, Kennebunk, Maine, Yardley, Pa., Trenton, N.J., Lambertville, N.J., Springfield, Mo., Woodstock, Vt., Albany and Yucaipa, Calif.
Dolores was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, Reverend Carl Bierman; son-in-law, Charlie Opitz; grandson-in-law, Jon Bintz; and her beloved dog Woody. She is survived by her daughter, Natalie Opitz; grandson, Marcus Opitz; granddaughter, Tara Opitz Taylor (Juan Pablo); great-granddaughters, Olivia and Francine Taylor; grandson, Nicholas Opitz; grandson, Mathew Opitz (Ashley); daughter, Daphne McKinney; grandson, Malcolm McKinney (Jessica); grandson, Alec McKinney; grandson, David McKinney; daughter, Sally Diggins (Patrick); grandson, Patrick Diggins IV (Katie); grandson, Zachary Diggins (Kirsten); grandson, Henry Diggins (Maddy); great-grandsons, Odin and Bodhi Diggins; son, Andrew C. Bierman (Jill); granddaughter, Kt Bierman; grandson, Nathan Bierman as well as extended family members in the Albany area.
A graveside service was held on November 19 in the Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands.
UURMaPA will contribute $50 to an appropriate charity in her memory.
Notes of condolence to the family may be sent to her son, Andrew Bierman, 9 Mercer Street, Albany, NY 12203.
A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed.
The Rev. Dr. Dale E. Arnink
The Rev. Dr. Dale E. Arnink died on November 3, 2021, at the age of 83.
Dale is survived by his sons, Brian, Craig, and Scott; his grandchildren, Isaiah, Kyla, Kellen, Leland, Cade, Ethan, and Sidney; his sister, Donna; and his brother, Jack. He was preceded in death by his son, Joel.
A memorial service will be held at the Unitarian Church of Los Alamos, NM (date has not yet been decided).
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, 689 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.
Notes of condolences may be written here or can be sent to the Unitarian Church of Los Alamos, 1738 North Sage Street, Los Alamos, NM 87544.
A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed.
The Rev. Dr. Dale W. Robison
The Rev. Dr. Dale W. Robison died on October 31, 2021, at the age of 88.
Dale is survived by his brother, Daniel Robison, and his sister, Marjorie Fiorina. He is also survived by his daughters Heather Roon of Denver, Colorado and Laura Ammann of Charlotte, North Carolina. Laura has two children who are Dale’s grandsons, Quinton and Kellen. Dale is fortunate to be survived in marriage by three women: Karen Robison, Lynn DeAngeles Robison, and Tara Gray. He was a stepparent to Lynn’s daughter, Angie Kurzynas, and was like a father to her.
Dale was preceded in death by his brothers, Harold Robison and Bill Robison.
The memorial service was planned for the weekend of April 9th, 2022, in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Roundtable at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Las Cruces, 2000 S. Solano, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88001. Please make out your check to the church and specify Roundtable in the memo line. UURMaPA will contribute $50 to the UUMA Endowment Fund in honor of our colleague’s ministry.
Notes of condolences may be written here.
A more complete obituary will be forthcoming after biographical research has been completed.