Edward Francis Cusick Jr.

Edward Francis Cusick, Jr., age 84, of Leeds, died Feb. 13, 2015. Visitation will be Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 5:30 p.m. at Kilgroe Funeral Home, 1750 Ashville Rd., Leeds. Mass of Christian Burial will take place Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 10 a.m. at St. Theresa Catholic Church, 1394 Ashville Court, Leeds. Fr. Gray Bean officiating. Burial at Forest Crest Cemetery, 5730 Hwy 78 East, Birmingham, immediately following.

Preceded in death by parents, Edward Francis Cusick and Katherine Colgan Cusick, and brother, George Colgan Cusick. Survived by wife of 53 years, Jane Roth Cusick, of Leeds; children Mary Katherine Cusick Hay (John Dillon Hay) of Boulder, Colo., Edward Francis Cusick III of Denver, Colo., Kathleen Louise Cusick Blackburn of Athens, Ga., Daniel Roy Cusick (Sarah Eastman Cusick) of Minneapolis, Minn., Patricia MacDonald Cusick Ellis (Chris) of Leeds, and grandchildren, Sean Francis Morgan, Elise Caroline Morgan, Hannah Sara Morgan, Helen Jane Cusick, Andrew Daniel Cusick, John Alexander Cusick and Lola Jane Ellis. Also survived by sisters Kathleen C. Burrus of Bellevue, Wash., Mary C. Cuddihy (Santiago) of Tucson, Ariz., Peggy C. Viall of Atlantic Beach, Fla., and Caroline C. Gill (Jim) of Carmel, Calif.

Mr. Cusick was born Aug. 13, 1930 in Chicago, Ill. He graduated from Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, Tenn., and Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisc., in 1952 He also attended the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn. He received a commission as a lieutenant in the United States Navy in 1955 and later served in the U.S. Navy Reserve as a flight navigator on missions between the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. He was married to Jane Roth on Dec. 29, 1961, in Minneapolis before settling in the Birmingham area. Mr. Cusick was a long-time executive of Rock Wool Manufacturing Co. in Leeds and was a dedicated parishioner of St. Theresa Catholic Church in Leeds and supporter of many Catholic charities and causes. He was also a lifetime member and supporter of the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation. After retirement, he managed the Holy Rosary food pantry in Birmingham for roughly 10 years.

In lieu of flowers, charitable donations can be made to Her Choice Birmingham Women’s Center, 2120 7th Ave. South, Birmingham.