Michael David Cushman, 30, of Norristown, Pa., died January 5, 2012 after a long battle with cancer. He was the beloved son of the Revs. David and Rhonda Cushman, former pastors of People’s Baptist Church in Cranston.
Michael is also survived by his sister, April Powers, a teacher in the Cranston School District, and her husband, Ryan, of Cranston; his paternal grandparents, the Rev. Lyle and Mrs. Greta Cushman of San Mateo, Calif.; his aunts, uncles and cousins and many friends. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Oren and Amy Foust.
Born in Grand Junction, Colo., he lived in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. and Cranston, where he lived for 10 years before moving with his parents to Pennsylvania in 1995. While living in Cranston, Michael was a student at Glen Hills and Gladstone Elementary and Bain Junior High schools. He competed with the Cranston Rockets and Bain Knights in the RI Special Olympics and with the Warwick West Side Little League Challengers. He was a member of People’s Baptist Church in Cranston, where he sang in the choir.
Michael graduated from the Bucks County Intermediate Unit in Jameson, Pa. in 2002. Prior to his illness, he worked as a store associate at Giant Foods in Plymouth Meeting, Pa. He was an active member of Calvary Baptist Church, Norristown, where he sang in the choir and participated in the hand bell choir. He was a member of the Philadelphia Art Museum, subscribed to the Philadelphia Orchestra for many years, was an avid reader and enjoyed photography and writing poetry.
Among his varied interests, Mike was a devoted "Trekker" and a loyal Phillies fan. He was a regular volunteer for Judson Press and the American Baptist Home Mission Societies in King of Prussia, Pa.
Relatives and friends are invited to Michael's Life Celebration visitation April 28 from 12:30-2 p.m. at Carpenter-Jenks Funeral Home & Crematory, 659 East Greenwich Ave., West Warwick, followed by a graveside service at 2:30 p.m. in Quidnessett Memorial Cemetery, North Kingstown.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Calvary Baptist Church, 801 West Marshall St., Norristown, PA 19401 to the Children's Hospital Foundation, https://donate.chop.edu, or the Abramson Cancer Center, www.penncancer.org/patients/giving. To share your fondest memories of Mike visit www.lifecelebration.com or www.carpenterjenks.com.
