Dennis Dean Cushman

Dennis Dean Cushman passed away on Wednesday, January 20, 2021, in Lincoln, Nebraska, following a decades-long struggle with Parkinson’s disease. He was 72. He is survived by his wife, Betty; his sons, Scott and Ted (daughter-in-law Andrea); and his brother, Bruce. He was also an honorary father and grandfather to many, including Pamela Turner and Serhiy Horokhovskyy and their families.

Born in 1948 to Betty and Oris Cushman, Dennis was the middle of three brothers. He was competitive and driven, even as a child. Every game became a tournament. As a teenager and through his 30s, he competed in bowling leagues and Putt-Putt tournaments, winning trophies and a motor scooter as a champion putter.

Drafted during the Vietnam War, Dennis was stationed in Washington, D.C., where he was among the many conscientious objectors used as medical test subjects in Operation Whitecoat. Through connections at the Washington Sanitarium Church, he met Betty Froelich, a student at Washington Adventist College. She was tall and beautiful; he was tall and still awkward after a late growth spurt. She would later say of their first date, “He was the weirdest man I had ever met.” Two years later, they were married on July 4, 1971, and she would spend the next 50 years learning ways in which weird can be wonderful.

Dennis was a mathematical savant. His aptitude for numbers was displayed early as he memorized statistics for sports teams to impress his father and school friends. In his professional life, he applied his uncommon logical abilities to problem solving. He worked long hours programming more efficient systems, first while serving in the U.S. Army, and later for employers such as Hinsdale Hospital and First Data Resources. He also was part of the team that created the ZIP+4 system for the U.S. Postal Service.

Along with his intense intellect, a generous commitment to education was one of Dennis’ defining characteristics. He believed every child who wants a Christian education should have access to it. Working toward that goal, Dennis led the building of the Golden Hills Seventh-day Adventist School facility and also volunteered with and donated to educational institutions his entire adult life.

A graduate of Campion Academy in Loveland, Colorado, Dennis attended Union College in Lincoln and the Electronic Computer Programming Institute in Omaha where he would later return as a teacher. As his sons grew, Dennis was actively involved in their education, whether informally teaching them science during family hikes or serving as school board chairman at Golden Hills. While living in Saginaw, Michigan, he taught computer skills at Tri-City Seventh-day Adventist School. He loved teaching and often seemed happiest when he had something to explain and a receptive audience.

Dennis valued being part of a community of faith, and his church was an extension of his family. Over the years, he held many positions at the Golden Hills Seventh-day Adventist Church, including deacon, elder, Sabbath School teacher and Pathfinder leader.

Even after Parkinson’s started eroding his mental capacity, he continued to serve his community through math for many years, tutoring elementary students at the Omaha Memorial Adventist School, assisting in GRE preparation classes and compiling and interpreting statistical data for the Salvation Army Omaha North Corps. While volunteering at the Salvation Army, he was also the top grossing volunteer bell-ringer in Omaha for several years, an activity that fed both his community spirit and his sense of competition. With his snow-white beard, red hat and ready smile, Dennis was known throughout Omaha simply as “Santa” for two months every year.

In his later years, Parkinson’s slowly stole his memories and abilities. But it never took his humor, generosity or love of an in-depth explanation. For many years, his family has mourned the loss of the driven and active man he was, and now they also mourn the loss of the loving, easy-going man he became.