Robert "Bob" A. Cushing Jr.

January 22, 2022

Robert “Bob” Aloysius Cushing, Jr. of Smyrna GA. met our Lord on January 22, 2022, two days shy of his 98th birthday. Greeting him for their reunion in heaven is Doris, the love of his life for 72 years of marriage. Bob was born January 24, 1924 in New Orleans, to Robert A. Sr. and Celeste Middleton Cushing. “Bootz” as he was nicknamed by family, dreamed of becoming a military pilot since childhood. In 1943, during World War II, he signed up for that adventure, flying domestically. After the war, Bootz returned to New Orleans to marry his high school sweetheart, Doris Vivian Simms on Nov. 16, 1945 at Mater Dolorosa Catholic Church. The first year of their marriage Doris was stateside while Bob was in Germany with the occupation forces. As a 21-year-old pilot in the Berlin Airlift, little did he know at the time, the significant role he was playing in an historic event. The devoted couple’s military assignments brought seven children into their loving family: Linda in Darmstadt Germany; Bob in Biloxi, MS.; Michael in Tacoma, WA.; Steve and Paul in the Panama Canal Zone; Mary in San Bernardino, CA.; Carole in Ramstein, Germany. Bob was proud to serve our country for 22 years, flying different planes, traveling a variety of countries, and engaging with talented people. Bob and Doris made life-long friendships with many military families. They supported each other through their involvement in the Catholic Church with the Christian Family Movement (CFM) and their children’s religious education. After his Air Force retirement Bob was with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in Jacksonville, FL, as an air traffic controller. Longing to fly again, four years later he took an FAA position in Meridian, MS., returning him to airtime to inspect the Instrument Landing Systems on airport runways. In 1975 with only two children at home, the family moved to Marietta, GA, where Bob completed his remaining FAA career. When he retired with over 16,000 flying hours Bob said, “Do what you love, and you’ll do a better job at it.” Bob and Doris were loyal members of St. Thomas Catholic Church for 40 years. Bob was a welcoming, enthusiastic usher, Eucharistic minister, and collection counter. He outlived many of his close church men friends and helped the surviving spouses with everything from lawn mowing, house repairs, to balancing check books. At Delmar Gardens of Smyrna, where he spent his final years, Bob was known for his affable and engaging personality. Even when his eyesight was failing due to macular degeneration, when asked how he was doing Bob would often respond “fantastic, but I’ll get better!”. The Cushing family is grateful to Delmar Gardens staff and his personal caregivers for the respect and dignity extended him in his final months. Bob lived a full and abundant life and died a grateful man. Along with joining his beloved Doris, he is now with little Chris, his first grandchild, along with his sister Rose Olschner and her husband, Ed and Bob’s childhood friend, Bob McMahon. He is survived by his seven children: Linda, Bob (fiancé Donna), Michael (Norma), Steve (Laura), Paul (Mary), Mary (Dudley) Owens and Carole (Jim) Baeske; ten grandchildren: Brian (Sara), Rob (Maureen), Elizabeth (fiancé Dustin Walker), Madelyn (Sebastian) Model, Audrey (Jake) Kelley, Rachel (fiancé James), Ian Baeske, Paul Baeske, Zoie (Tu), and Corinne; six great-grandchildren: Holden and Macy Cushing, Lee Cushing, Dustyn, Lena, and Mary Abigail Model; Olschner nieces and nephews; like-family friends, Marion Parker and Jeanette Mayer, along with numerous friends. Bob’s life celebration takes place Saturday, February 26. Visitation at Davis-Struempf Funeral Home 10:00am – 12:00pm 10:30am – 11:30am Time of Sharing 1975 East-West Connector Austell, GA. 30106 Funeral Mass at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church 1:30pm 4300 King Springs Road Smyrna, GA. 30082 Internment of the ashes Cheatham Hills Memorial Park 1861 Dallas Hwy. SW. Marietta, GA. 30064 In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be sent to one of these two organizations: St. Vincent de Paul Society, care of St. Thomas the Apostle Church 4300 King Springs Rd. SE, Smyrna, GA 30082 (770) 432-8579 https://stthomastheapostle.org/ Vision Rehabilitation Services of Georgia 3830 South Cobb Dr, SE, Smyrna, GA 30080 (770)432-7280 https://vrsga.org/