Tributes paid to grandmother who helped raise thousands for charity
TRIBUTES have been paid to a 'kind-hearted' grandmother who helped raise tens of thousands of pounds for good causes.
Winifred Cumiskey, who ran Wombourne Funeral Services with her family, died following illness on March 15.
The 81-year-old devoted the past five decades to supporting charities, raising almost £100,000 with her loved ones by her side.
Son John Cumiskey Jnr said: "She has pretty much dedicated her life to helping people in a worse position than herself. That is her legacy.
"She was well known. I think she was a doer - she got things done. She was very driven.
"She was extremely kind to people as well. Even small children, she always made sure they had a pound in ther pocket.
"I think she could be a formidable businesswoman."
Born in Luton, Mrs Cumiskey moved to Wombourne with her 79-year-old husband John Senior in the 1970s.
The grandmother-of-six - who lived in Swindon, Dudley, for the past 10 years - then dedicated her working life to family business, acting as partner in the funeral company.
She managed the office, planned daily funerals, comforted families and liaised with suppliers.
But alongside the family job, she also encouraged her family to raise cash for causes including Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, Help for Heroes and Cancer Research UK.
Great grandmother-of-one Mrs Cumiskey, who was married to her husband for more than 50 years, was named Midlands Air Ambulance Fundraiser of the year in 2015.
John Jnr, who is also a funeral director at the family business, said his mother's passion for helping others grew while she ran a youth group in Derbyshire.
He added: "It started there and she never stopped. She threw herself into it. She pushed us to get involved. Everyone took part."
Loved ones gathered at Wombourne's St Benedict Biscop Church on Friday to bid farewell to mother-of-three Mrs Cumiskey.
Father-of-four John Jnr, who lives in Penn, said: "I was very lucky to have worked with my mother. Some people just seem their parents at the weekend but I saw my mother everyday.
"I have loads of memories, we have lots of laughs together. She had a great sense of humour.
"She loved to get together, she loved the family and her friends all around her. She used to have a New Year's Eve party with her neighbours - she was very generous that way."
The funeral company's annual memory tree event will commemorate Mrs Cumiskey in October.
