Lavern Lee Cumby
April 15, 1948 – November 8, 2016
Lavern Lee Cumby “Dottie, Jackie” was born April 15, 1948 to Eddie Mae Center and the late James Willie Center. She was the wife of James Richard Cumby. Lavern had two children, Johnny Tripp Jr. and Akiba Tripp from a previous marriage to Johnny Tripp. She also had two stepchildren, Sean Cumby and Evan Cumby. Lavern professed her faith in Jesus Christ as a member of the 31st Street Seventh Day Adventist Church. She was active in her church, contributing to health education and as a member of the finance committee. Lavern spent her childhood and young adult years living in the neighborhood of 44th and Market Streets in San Diego, CA. She attended Chollas Elementary School, Gompers Junior High School and Lincoln High School, where she was 10th grade homecoming queen. She earned her Registered Nursing and Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees from San Diego State University. Prior to attending San Diego State University, Lavern’s first job was working as a Nurse’s Aide at Euclid Convalescent hospital at the age of 18. Her experience there was the deciding factor in her pursuing a career in nursing. She would go on to work as an RN in hospital nursing. Lavern always wanted to be in a position to ease the pain of others and help them feel better. Her eldest sister, Lurie Center, was an elementary school teacher who encouraged Lavern to earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing for school nursing. It was school nursing where Lavern found her true calling and passion. She worked for the Oakland Unified School District for eight years, and had a 24-year career with the San Diego Unified School District, with 21 of those years dedicated to Gompers Charter Middle School. While at Gompers, her passion for health care was recognized in a news special titled “ER in the Schools.” Her work at Gompers required Lavern to treat exceptionally challenging medical conditions. She founded the Lincoln/Gompers Cluster Family Service Center in 1997, and for several years served in dual roles as School Nurse and Director of the Healthy Start Program. Lavern was further recognized in her role and for contributions in school nursing with awards that included: “Certificate of Recognition: In honor of dedicated services and outstanding efforts to strengthen home school partnerships,” awarded by the Parent Involvement Task Force, June 20, 2001. “School Nurse of the Year,” awarded by Connecting for Success, May 8, 1998 “Certificate of Recognition for her Vision, Belief and Commitment to Develop and Implement a Center for the Community,” awarded by the staff and community of the Lincoln/Gompers Cluster Healthy Start Family Service Center, June 9, 2000. Lavern participated in many philanthropic endeavors, including giving time and resources as a member of the Board of Directors of the San Diego County Hemophilia Association. She also served as an advisory board member of “Lady Bugs,” a national support group for women with bleeding disorders. Lavern could best be described as an unselfish, hard working, confident woman. Her relentless work in the field of health and profound, unconditional love for her family are certain to have a lasting impact on countless children, as well as her family. Lavern is preceded in death by father James W. Center, sister Lurie Center and brother Donald D. Center, all of San Diego and sister-in-law Gloria Chaney of Tracy, CA. Lavern’s beautiful life will forever be cherished in the lives of those survived by her, husband James Richard Cumby of Spring Valley, CA; son Johnny Tripp Jr., of San Diego, CA; daughter Akiba Tripp of New York City, NY; stepson Sean Cumby and his wife, Sun Cumby, of Oakland, CA; stepson Evan Cumby of Fairfield, CA; mother Eddie Mae Center of San Diego, CA; brothers Elliott W. Center, Michael L. Center, and Eric W. Center of San Diego, CA; sisters Eloise “Lois” E. Center D.D.S., and husband Lloyd Shabazz, M.D., of Chesapeake, VA; Mildred A. Center of San Diego, CA; Alison A. Hunter of Chula Vista, CA; grandchildren Johnny Tripp III and Deandre “Ricky” Tripp of Spring Valley, CA, and Darnaya Young of Dallas, TX, sisters-in-law Jacquelene Jones and her husband Robert Jones of Hayward, CA, Linda Cumby and Shirly Cumby of Tracy, CA, Delores Cumby of Berkeley, CA, and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews and nieces. Services were held Thursday, November 17, 2016 at Maranatha Seventh Day Adventist Church; Interment at Mt. Hope Cemetery. Final arrangements were entrusted to Anderson-Ragsdale Mortuary.
