Lezma Cummings-Bowen 83, of Long Branch, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loved ones on May 5, 2025. She was born in Jamaica W.I. and immigrated to the United States in 1968.
To her family back in Jamaica, she was seen as a deep, extremely rural, country girl whose family was blessed with an abundance of family love, water, land, labor, bananas, coffee, and cattle, and the right and left hand for her family.
A natural, genuine, always caring-and-sharing, God-fearing gem whose seemingly “always wanting to know” was solely driven, and always for the purpose of either “how can she help” and or “what can she assist with.” Lezma’s love and bond with friends, the community, and her family, was never affected by distance or time, and what she possessed she gladly shared in abundance, with all.
Although she took some hard knocks in life, she pushed through with renewed strength, vigor, faith, and determination to always being there, managing what she had to do, to the best of her ability.
She loved her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, first, her Saint James Episcopal Church and fellowship, her children, all her grandkids, family, and friends. Lezma has achieved that legacy of “everlasting life,’’ caregiving, multitasking, community as in “always putting others first, and always ahead of the odds in life’s journey until God brought her home.
She is predeceased by her parents, Lebert and Agnes Gray, first husband, Carlton C. Cummings and her second husband, Gladstone Bowen, her siblings, Herman, Fitzroy (Roy), and Henry Gray, sister, Gwendolyn (Peggy) Francis and grandson Anthony (Coco Brown) Cummings.
She is survived by her sister, Norah Spence; two brothers, Edward (Teddy), and Calvin Gray; four children, Charlton (David), Sharon Jefferson, Jason, Carlton Jr. & Michele Cummings; nine grandchildren, Darlene, Majidah, Roger & Ayesha Jefferson-Andrews-Herisse, Emily, Anica, Julius Jr., Dominique, Jayden, and Carlton III; five great-grandchildren, Sasha, Charlotte (Charlie), Briana, Zena, and Rein. She leaves behind a host of nieces and nephews whom she adored and loved.
Thank you again to everyone for all your thoughts, prayers, love, and support.
Donations can be made on behalf of our mother to Saint James Episcopal Church, 300 Broadway, Long Branch, NJ 07740.
You were a Special Lady Ms. Cummings and I will miss our little side conversations when I saw you. You will truly be missed. RIH❣️
sorry to hear of Lezma passing, she was loved by us all, as she was always an intrigal member of united Neighbors for years. Lezma will be missed, by the community as well as United Neighbours ❤️