Charles Sumner Cushing, Jr., passed away on Wednesday, April 8, 2015, at the age of 90.
He was the beloved brother of Barbara J. Cushing of Kennebunk, ME, and the late Beverly Cushing Stevens of Sherborn, MA, and is survived by his children, Janet Cushing McMillion and her husband Clark, of St. Louis, MO, Mark E. Cushing and his wife Joanne of Duxbury, MA, and Robert C. Cushing and his wife Sally of Crozet, VA. He was proud grandfather to eight granddaughters: Susannah McMillion Scotino and Marian McMillion, Elizabeth, Abigail, Catherine and Anne Cushing, and Sarah Jane and Molly Cushing.
Charles was born in Portland, Maine to Charles Sumner and Hazel (Cunningham) Cushing. He and his two sisters spent much of their youth growing up on Long Island, Maine in Casco Bay alongside the large extended Cushing family. Many generations of family, with roots dating back to the first Cushings who arrived in Hingham, MA in 1638, have called Long Island home. Charles’ family still treasures the island cottage which has connected him to his children and grandchildren in many special ways.
Known as “Sumner” or “Chuck” by his family and friends in Maine, Charles was a graduate of the University of Maine in Orono, where he studied engineering, taught undergraduate courses in physics, and played baseball. Charles left Maine for Rochester, NY where he embarked upon a 39 year career with Eastman Kodak Company in engineering and information systems management. In 1950, he was married to Eleanor Lucille Marks. A devoted husband and active father, who consistently and quietly demonstrated the value of honesty, hard work and thriftiness, together they raised their family in the Rochester suburb of Brighton until Eleanor’s death in January, 1985.
Charles married Eleanor Lyle Hamilton, a longtime friend of the family, in 1986. This marriage, which lasted until her death in 2012, brought profound happiness to the Cushing and Hamilton families, and to their wide circle of mutual friends in Rochester and beyond. During their retirement years, Charles and Ellie, living in Pittsford, NY, enjoyed winters in Sanibel, FL, and summers on Long Island.
Charles recently moved to Duxbury to be closer to family. Although he lived most of his life in New York, forever and fiercely loyal to Kodak, he was a lifelong Red Sox fan and a true “Maine-iac.” He will long be remembered as a gentle and kind man, adoring of his “Ellies”, his children and granddaughters.
Charles will be buried privately in Rochester, NY, next to the two women he loved.
Friends may remember Charles through donations to JDRF, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation at (800) 533-CURE(2873) or JDRF, 26 Broadway, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10004.