Chester Samuel "Sam" Cushing III

Chester Samuel Cushing III

March 22, 1936 – January 1, 2026

Chester Samuel Cushing III, known to family and friends as Sam, passed away peacefully on January 1, 2026. He was born on March 22, 1936, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Chester Samuel Cushing II and Lela Birdie Cutler Cushing.

Sam grew up in Salem, Oregon. After graduating from high school, he attended Brigham Young University for one year before enlisting in the United States Army. During his service, he was stationed in La Cañada, California, where he served at a Nike Air Missile base. Following his military service, Sam began a long and dedicated career in public utilities. He worked for Turlock Irrigation District, starting as a ditch tender, then a lineman, and later becoming a dispatcher. He later transferred to Modesto Irrigation District, where he continued working as a dispatcher until his retirement.

Sam had a deep love for reading and writing and was proud to have his work published several times in Sporting Classics Magazine. He enjoyed fishing, walking the canal, hiking in Pinecrest, and working in his yard-where he was known for having the best lawn, maintained faithfully with a push mower. Sam had a quiet nature and a gentle sense of humor. Though soft-spoken, when he spoke, he spoke from the heart. Sam was a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As a young man, he and his family played an important role in organizing the first branch of the Church in Salem, Oregon.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 69 years, Dorene Barbara Sadler Cushing; his children, Kym (Wendy) Cushing of Henderson, Nevada; Mark Cushing (Lisa Bell) of Nampa, Idaho; and Cheri(Ed) Cushing Starkey of Atwater, California; his sister, Lela Marie Cushing of Merced, California; seven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Per Sam's request, no services will be held. He was loved by many, and his family will greatly miss him.