Caldon H. Cushman

Caldon Hill Cushman was born June 26, 1946 to Mary Ruth (Hill) Cushman and Dana Cushman. He was the oldest of nine children who kept their farm bustling on the Grimes Mill Road in Caribou. Cal first went to school in a one-room school house, taught by his Aunt Margaret Hale. He graduated from Caribou High School in 1964. He loved math, science, and reading and went to Gordon College to further his education. In 1966 he enlisted in the US Air Force and served in Vietnam as an airplane mechanical engineer. After four years he returned home to Caribou where he helped with the farm and drove truck long distance.

At his mother's Bible study Cal met Gloria Hafford, and they were married in 1976. Cal and Gloria moved onto his grandfather's potato farm down the road and had three children. Joy Cushman lives in Virginia with her husband, Michael Amey, and their son, Graham. Naomi Rustikova lives in Greenville, South Carolina with her husband Alex Rustikov, and their sons, Braden and Peter. Matthew Cushman lives with his wife, Crystal, in New Smyrna Beach, Florida with their children: Cheyenne, Makayla, Mary Catherine and Morgan. Cal’s children have many memories of fishing, camping, canoeing, hiking, gardening, picking potatoes and working the fields with their dad, who loved being outdoors.

After he left farming, Cal drove truck for many years. During that time he provided the morning moose report to anyone who would listen to him! In retirement he enjoyed morning coffee with his friends at Tim Hortons. Cal was a life-long member of Caribou United Baptist Church where he particularly enjoyed the men's Bible Study with his friends Gilbert Hitchcock, Dick Waugh and others.

For several years Cal went South for the winter to be with his children, before moving to Florida in 2023. In the last year, as his dementia worsened, Cal revisited the farm in his mind and kept busy in his daydreams plowing the fields and taking care of the farm equipment for his brothers. For him the farm was always home.

Caldon was called home to heaven on Sunday, March 1st. He was predeceased by his wife, Gloria, his grandson, Carter, and his brothers Garth and Keith. In addition to his children and grandchildren he is survived by his sister, Barbara Kelly, his brothers James, John, Paul, Timothy and Michael, and their wives, and his Aunt Beverly Pratt.

Services will be held graveside at Evergreen Cemetery in Caribou on June 12th at 2pm.