In Memoriam: Carla Cushman

''Remembering Carla''

We lost our dear Carla-Mom on October 22, 2015. She went peacefully in her sleep. There was no funeral, she hated them. The family will take her ashes from Ohio home to California in the Spring, where we'll gather with her friends for a Celebration of Life.

With such an abrupt ending to her life, and knowing so many loved her and will miss her spirit and intelligence and smile, it seemed only fitting to commemorate her passing here on her Cushman Family history genealogy website.

Her obituary was posted on the funeral home website (link):

Carla K. Cushman, 84, of Lima, passed away at 5:56 AM on Thursday, October 22, 2015 at her residence. 

She was born on October 7, 1931 in Oakland, CA to Charles and Margeurite (McCleod) Cushman, who both preceded her in death. She was formerly married to Richard Dow, who preceded her in death. 

Carla proudly served her country as a veteran of the Marine Corps during Korea. She had earned her Bachelor's degree in journalism and was a writer in PR and advertising for several companies. She had a passion for the theatre, writing, blogging and genealogy. She was famous for her "Carla Cards". 

Surviving are her daughter Marianne (Jeff Klingler) Dow of Harrod OH; her two sons Mason (Deb) Dow of Santa Ana, CA and Mitchell Dow of Long Beach, CA; her sister Paula Tuttle of Utica, NY; her granddaughter Ana (Mike) Everage-Mercer. 

There will be no services or visitation.

Of course this barely scratches the surface of who Carla was, what she did, and what she meant to her loved ones, extended family, and her many many life-long friends.

Below are a few vintage photos of Carla. I will be adding more in the future, along with some memoir notes that I found in Carla's journals. So this is only the first part of ''Remembering Carla''.

Good-bye for now, Mom...