Obituary of David J. Kumiega

David Kumiega, beloved son of James and Barbara Kumiega, passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 18th, 2022. Our "Special" son was very kind, friendly, and had a smile that would light up your day. In his 53 years, he brought us much joy and it was always a good feeling to hear him say, "I Love My Life". After completion of Special Education programs, David began the first of 25 years at the Achieve Workshop on Lester Ave. He was a steady, versatile worker performing assembly jobs, janitorial tasks, and eventually material handling on the Frito Lay Packaging Line. He enjoyed being with staff and co-workers; liked the comradery at lunch time and breaks, and being with the same crowd on Friday Party Nights. He also enjoyed packing a lunch and standing at the curb waiting for the 7AM BC Lift pick-up. After the workshop closed, David got a part-time job at the DoubleTree Hotel as a laundry attendant and was quickly embraced as a team member. Other employees looked forward to Tuesdays and Thursdays when Dave was scheduled to work. He also worked part-time at Family Enrichment as a teacher's aide for preschoolers. The kids all loved his Superhero T shirts. David also volunteered as an usher at The Church of the Holy Family. He would rush through the parking lot looking forward to greeting Father Clarence at the church entrance. That was his Sunday morning highlight. As a younger man he was active in the Special Olympics. He was an excellent swimmer: liked bowling, movies, eating out, and was proud of his Super Hero figure collection. His family vacations included trips to the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Zion, Olympic, the Canadian Rockies, Disney World, and the Everglades. Over the last 3 years David lived primarily at "A Home of My Own". The management and staff there were great people. David participated in many activities to include having a personal trainer, trips to the Y, golfing, shopping, walks in the park, and of course eating out. He loved the staff and they loved him. Much of his time was spent with Mike, Emma, Terri, Cassandra, John, Kathy, and Nick. We thank them all. David is predeceased by his mother Barbara. He is survived by his father Jim, his sister Karen (Jeff), his brother Michael (Sara), and 5 nieces and nephews: Ethan, Claire, Adam, Grace, and Nathan. David was proud and let people know that he was the Godfather to both Claire and Adam. The family is grateful for the kind and gentle care that David received at Chase Memorial Nursing Home. He was only there for a short period of time. The staff provided much therapy and treatments to help improve his quality of life. We also thank Mercy House for the compassionate care he received from your staff. In the end, recovery was not meant to be and he is now back in the arms of his Mom. A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday September 2, 11:00AM at The Church of the Holy Family, 3600 Phyllis Street, Endwell, NY. The family will receive friends at the Church from 10AM until 11AM. For those wishing, please consider a memorial contribution to Mercy House of the Southern Tier.