Obituary of NCC William "Bill" Alfred Cushing,, U.S Navy II

NCC William "Bill" Alfred Cushing, U.S. Navy (Ret.), 59, of Colorado Springs, Colorado passed away on April 23, 2022 from pancreatic cancer. He died at his home, surrounded by his family wrapped tightly in love.Bill was born on September 17, 1962 to William and Anne Patricia; and was raised on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. He was a quiet, loving child and grew into a spirited teenager with a natural athletic ability. Any sport he attempted, he excelled.�He graduated from Barnstable High School in 1980.�Bill entered the United States Navy in 1982, where he met the love of his life, Penny, on the USS Holland AS-32 in 1986. Penny was initially hooked by his golden tan and crystal blue eyes, but his acts of kindness and outgoing personality stole her heart. Bill and Penny shared a wonderful marriage. They were best of friends and worked together as a team. When one of them was down, the other was present to hold him/her up. Penny was one of the luckiest girls in the world because she never had any doubt that Bill loved her from the top of her head to the tip of her toes. They were blessed with three children, Matthew, Zachary, and Hannah. Bill lived and loved like a true gentleman. He worked to provide for his family and loved spending time around his wife and kids. Family meant everything to him. His favorite nights consisted of family, pizza, ice cream, and a good movie. As a father, he was a provider, protector, and disciplinarian. He was a stern and strict mentor, and loved his kids with tight hugs, noogies, and simple gestures. He taught his children the meaning of being industrious and showed compassion and acceptance for their individual paths. The love he put forth and the love he received will resonate through time forever. Bill was a humble, kind, giving man that took pleasure in a hard day's work. He was a great handyman and would give his time and energy for anyone in need. His hobbies included running and hiking the Colorado outdoors, and enjoyed wood working in his garage. Bill was most content after a day of productivity and took great pride in the wood working projects he built for Penny and the kids. When relaxing in the evening, Bill easily ensured he was able to watch his favorite television shows by mocking other family members' shows with reenactments of over-the-top crying scenes or hurting everyone's ears with his intentional terrible, fake singing voice.Bill's work ethic drove him to reach high levels in his working careers. He was a proud patriot and highly regarded in the United States Navy. Chief Petty Officer Cushing served on six separate naval ships, was an instructor at Great Lakes, Illinois, and eventually retired from Naval Air Station Oceania, Virginia Beach, Virginia as the base's Naval Career Counselor. He served during the Persian Gulf War and was part of the fleet recovery of TWA Flight 800. Bill was awarded numerous medals of honor for his loyalty and commitment while in service to his country. He retired from the Navy with an MBA from Old Dominion University and began his civilian life working for Target's Distribution Center. Bill quickly rose to night manager at one of the local stores, eventually moving to Kohl's and working his way up to become a Regional Facilities Manager for both Kohl's and Walmart.Bill is survived by his loving wife and best friend, Penny Ann (Lehmann) Cushing; his beloved children, Matthew Allen Cushing, Zachary Scott Cushing, Hannah Corinne Cushing (fianc� Jonathan Riddlebarger); his mother, Anne Patricia "Pat" Cushing (Diane "Dee" Fairchild); and siblings, Kathleen Cushing (Jill Gould), Mary Lehmann (Nick), Robert Cushing, Joseph Cushing (Amy); and numerous nieces and nephews. Preceding Bill in death were his father, William Alfred Cushing, and step-mother, Suzanne.Memorial Mass, 10:00AM, Tuesday, June 7, 2022, Holy Apostles Catholic Church, 4925 North Carefree Circle, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80917.Reception, 11:00AM-12:00PM, Tuesday, June 7, 2022, Holy Apostles Catholic Church,�4925 N. Carefree Circle, Colorado Springs 80917.�Graveside Service with Military Honors, 1:00PM, Tuesday, June 7, 2022, Pikes Peak National Cemetery, 10545 Drennan Road, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80925. �Family and friends are welcome to join in any, or all of the services. In addition, the memorial and burial services will be live-streamed and available for viewing during and after by The Springs Funeral Services,�www.tsfs.co�Every spring and summer, Bill and Penny enjoyed their time spent together gardening their flower beds. In lieu of flowers, donations of perennial flowers or flowering shrubs can be made to the family, who will plant them in memory of Bill. Events Memorial Service Tuesday, June 7, 2022 10:00AM Holy Apostles Catholic Church 4925 Carefree Circle North Colorado Springs, CO 80917 Phone: 719-597-4249 Graveside Tuesday, June 7, 2022 1:00PM Pikes Peak National Cemetery 10545 Drennan Road Colorado Springs, CO 80925 Phone: 202-632-8035 Reception Tuesday, June 7, 2022 11:00AM - 12:00PM Holy Apostles Catholic Church 4925 Carefree Circle North Colorado Springs, CO 80917 Phone: 719-597-4249