November 4, 1955 – February 7, 2017
Tim was born in Iron Mountain, Michigan, and moved with his family to Placerville, California, at age 12. He attended El Dorado High School, University of Southern California, and California State University, Sacramento.
He spent the majority of his career as a hydrologist for the United States Geological Survey, serving five years in Alaska before relocating to Carson City in 1986. He retired in 2012 and began working for the Nevada Department of Transportation, doing bicycle and pedestrian safety. Throughout his career, he gave scores of talks, sat on innumerable committees, and published many reports; but what he was most proud of was his community outreach and mentoring of younger colleagues.
Tim was well known as a leader in the community. At the time of his passing, he was the Bicycle Advocacy Coordinator for Alta Alpina Cycling Club; in Boy Scouts, he was Assistant Scout Master for Troop 33 and Order of the Arrow, and Pinenut District Finance Chair. He also sat on the Board of the USC Northern Nevada Alumni Club and was active in the Douglas High School Music Boosters. He was a certified instructor for the League of American Bicyclists and a race
official for the United States Cycling Federation.
He had served previously as President of Alta Alpina, Coordinator of the Death Ride Tour of the California Alps, Chair of the Nevada Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, and Chair of the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition. Generally if there was anything cycling- or scout-related going on, you’d find Tim there.
Tim was the recipient of numerous awards in recognition of his professional accomplishments and community service, including the Wendell McCurry Excellence in Water Quality Award, the Nevada Bicycle Excellence Activist/Supporter Award, and the Boy Scouts’ Nevada Area Council Pinenut District Award of Merit.
Tim was passionate about everything and he had many varied interests: foremost were his family, friends, bicycling, and scouts; also travel, camping, hiking, craft beer, football, USC, cycling advocacy, race officiating, teaching bike safety, volunteering/coordinating events of all kinds, photography, politics, amateur radio, lighthouses, trains, music, movies, rocks, gardening, and National Parks—just to name a few!
But above all, his greatest passion was people: he considered everyone he met a newfound friend. He made friends wherever he went, and kept in touch with a vast network of family, friends, and colleagues worldwide. His focus was always on the positive and he frequently encouraged others with a kind word, his ready smile, or a friendly hug.
Tim passed away at home, unexpectedly. He is survived by his wife, Harriet “Hank” Cummings; brother Richard; daughters Lisa and Sara; son Christopher; son-in-law Tyler; and grandson Ronan; as well as a large extended family of
relatives and friends who will miss him deeply.
In addition to his children, Tim’s greatest legacy is that the world he left behind is a better place, because of him. His passion for life energized not just himself, but everyone whose life he touched, and there were many.
A celebration of Tim’s life will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 9th, 2017, at the Carson City Community Center. If you have photos of Tim, please bring copies to share with the family.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Tim’s memory to: Alta Alpina Cycling Club, P.O. Box 2032, Minden, NV 89423; Nevada Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, 500 Double Eagle Court, Reno, NV 89521; or Douglas High School Music Boosters, 1670 Highway 88, Minden, NV 89423.