Betty MacDonald's assistant William Cumming

Good morning, this is Bengt:

We celebrate William Cumming's birthday today.

William Cumming, famous artist in the Pacific Northwest School, was born in Montana on March 24, 1917.

In 1940, Betty MacDonald headed the National Youth Administration Division of Information in Seattle.
William Cumming became Betty's assistant. His regular salary was $25 per month.

William Cumming described Betty MacDonald's personality:

Betty MacDonald's humor wasn't kindly, nor homey, nor friendly. It had the malicious edge of a scalpel, and it could cut. Betty MacDonald saw the flaws of the race as vicious. The fact that these flaws generally ended in hilarious pratfalls didn't make them any less lethal in her eyes" (Sketchbook: A Memoir of the 1930s and the Northwest School)

In 1942 William Cumming entered Firland Sanatorium with tuberculosis. Betty MacDonald, who had served her own time in Firland (The Plague and I), drove him there.

William Cumming was a good friend of Wolfgang Hampel, Betty MacDonald Memorial Award Winner and author of Betty MacDonald biography.

William Cumming's outstanding artwork, letters and documents are included in the Betty MacDonald Fan Club Memorial Collection in Switzerland and Scandinavia.

William Cumming died of congestive heart failure on the morning of November 22, 2010. He was 93 years old.

More info ( see Betty MacDonald Fan Club Newsletter April 2011 )

Take care,

Bengt

Wolfgang Hampel Founder of Betty MacDonald Fan Club and Betty MacDonald Society
http://wolfganghampel.blogspot.com/

Wolfgang Hampel Society
Wolfgang Hampel, winner of first Betty MacDonald Memorial Award, author, journalist, artist, poet

http://wolfganghampelsociety.blogspot.com/

Wolfgang Hampel Fan Club

Wolfgang Hampel, interviewer of Betty MacDonald's family and friends and many other famous artists and writers. Wolfgang Hampel is also famous for his satirical poems and stories.

http://wolfganghampelfanclub.blogspot.com/

Letizia Mancino's website
http://www.letizia-mancino.eu/

Letizia Mancino, beloved artist and writer, Betty MacDonald Fan Club Honour Member
http://letiziamancino.blogspot.com/

Letizia Mancino's Homage a Betty MacDonald
http://www.letizia-mancino.eu/index.php?page=gallery

Hilde Domin Fan Club
http://hildedominfreundeskreis.blogspot.com/

Monica Sone, author of Nisei Daughter, Betty MacDonald's friend, described as Kimi in The Plague and I, honour member of Betty MacDonald Fan Club and Betty MacDonald Society
http://monicasone.blogspot.com/

Monica Sone Society
http://monicasonesociety.blogspot.com/

Monica Sone Fan Club
http://monicasonefanclub.blogspot.com/

Gwen Grant's website

http://www.gwengrant.co.uk/

Gwen Grant, beloved writer and Betty MacDonald Fan Club Honour Member

http://gwengrantsociety.blogspot.com/


Alison Bard Burnett, Betty MacDonald's and Mary Bard's brilliant sister, beloved all over the world. Her very funny and witty interviews with Wolfgang Hampel about her famous sisters Betty MacDonald and Mary Bard are real treasures.

http://alisonbard.blogspot.com/


Ma and Pa Kettle Society
http://maandpakettlesociety.blogspot.com/2010/05/betty-macdonalds-ma-and-pa-kettle.html

Betty MacDonald Fan Club
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bettymacdonald/

http://bettymacdonaldfanclub.blogspot.com/2009/06/betty-macdonald-fan-club-items-comments.html
http://bettymacdonaldfanclub.blogspot.com/2009/07/betty-macdonald-fan-club-items.html
http://bettymacdonaldfanclub.blogspot.com/2009/07/betty-macdonald-interviews-on-cddvd_17.html

Alison Bard Burnett, Betty MacDonald's and Mary Bard's brilliant sister, beloved all over the world. Her very funny and witty interviews with Wolfgang Hampel about her famous sisters Betty MacDonald and Mary Bard are real treasures.
http://alisonbard.blogspot.com/

Darsie Beck Artist and writer of Your Essential Nature - A Practical Guide to Greater Creativity and Spiritual Harmony - nephew of authors Betty MacDonald and Mary Bard - Honour Member of Betty MacDonald Society and Fan Club
http://darsiebeck.blogspot.com/

Linde Lund created the Betty MacDonald, Monica Sone and Wolfgang Hampel Blogs
http://www.blogger.com/profile/15388942569315864610

Betty MacDonald Interviews on CD and DVD

http://bettymacdonaldfanclub.blogspot.com/2009/06/betty-macdonald-fan-club-items-comments.html
http://bettymacdonaldfanclub.blogspot.com/2009/07/betty-macdonald-fan-club-items.html
http://bettymacdonaldfanclub.blogspot.com/2009/07/betty-macdonald-interviews-on-cddvd_17.html

Betty MacDonald Community
http://bettymacdonaldcommunity.blogspot.com/

You can find more info about our Betty MacDonald projects and events in the future.

Wolfgang Hampel, author of the Betty MacDonald Biography and winner of the first Betty MacDonald Memorial Award founded Betty MacDonald Fan Club and Society in 1983. We are the largest Betty MacDonald Fan Club in the world - with members in 30 countries. Join our wonderful international Betty MacDonald Community!
We have tons of fun!

Betty MacDonald - Fan Club of Betty MacDonald and Society of Betty MacDonald
http://bettymacdonald.blogspot.com/

Betty MacDonald Fan Club
http://bettymacdonaldfanclub.blogspot.com/

Betty MacDonald Forum
http://bettymacdonaldforum.blogspot.com/

Betty MacDonald Society
http://bettymacdonaldsociety.blogspot.com/

Mary Bard Jensen Society
http://marybardsociety.blogspot.com/

Alison Bard Burnett Fan Club and Society
http://alisonbard.blogspot.com/

Nancy and Plum Fan Club
http://nancyandplumfanclub.blogspot.com/

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle Fan Club
http://pigglewigglefanclub.blogspot.com/


Darsie Beck Artist and writer of Your Essential Nature - A Practical Guide to Greater Creativity and Spiritual Harmony - nephew of authors Betty MacDonald and Mary Bard - Honour Member of Betty MacDonald Society and Fan Club
http://darsiebeck.blogspot.com/

Wolfgang Hampel Founder of Betty MacDonald Fan Club and Betty MacDonald Society
http://wolfganghampel.blogspot.com/

Wolfgang Hampel Society
Wolfgang Hampel, winner of first Betty MacDonald Memorial Award, author, journalist, artist, poet

http://wolfganghampelsociety.blogspot.com/

Wolfgang Hampel Fan Club

Wolfgang Hampel, interviewer of Betty MacDonald's family and friends and many other famous artists and writers. Wolfgang Hampel is also famous for his satirical poems and stories.

http://wolfganghampelfanclub.blogspot.com/

http://wolfganghampelsociety.blogspot.com/

Wolfgang Hampel Fan Club

Wolfgang Hampel interviewed Betty MacDonald's family and friends and many other famous artists and writers. Wolfgang Hampel is also famous for his satirical poems and stories.

http://wolfganghampelfanclub.blogspot.com/