Luke Fleming McCusker Jr.

Luke Fleming McCusker, Jr.
March 3, 1934- January 13, 2023
Luke Fleming James McCusker, Jr., 88 of Crownsville, beloved husband of Jennie Lee Carr Bishop, was called to return to our Lord and Savior on Friday, January 13, 2023, while in Anne Arundel Medical Center. Born in Baltimore's Mercy Hospital on March 3, 1934, Luke was the oldest child of Walburga Eleanor (ne Baxter) and Luke Fleming McCusker, Sr.
Growing up on Collington Avenue in East Baltimore, his family was devoutly religious. Luke attended St. Wenceslaus Church Kindergarten, and then St. Andrews Church Primary School, where he was an altar boy and his brother John a choirboy. He had thought about becoming a priest, and administered communion to his brother and sister using Necco wafers. An important moment occurred when Luke was allowed to attend a friend's Vacation Bible School. While practicing a play in the sanctuary the children became rambunctious. The Pastor admonished the children, requesting they be more respectful. Having been taught that God was ever only present in Catholic sanctuaries, Luke said, "It's all right, God isn't here!" The Pastor silently looked at young Luke, but something in the expression on the Pastor's face made Luke aware that he was wrong, and God can be found anywhere, including protestant churches.
He and his brother John played and marched in the St. Andrews Fife, Drum, and Bugle Corp, with John playing the fife. The great Baltimore drummer and drum maker Charles "Buck" Soistman, taught Luke to play the Grand Republic Snare Drum, with the Corp and Luke then going on to win prizes in competitions. Later, both John and Luke were original members of the Monumental City Ancients Fife and Drum Corp, marching in many parades in the Mid-Atlantic states.
He began working for their family doctor, friend, and neighbor, Dr. Frank J. Ayd, Sr., by scrubbing his bathroom floor. (In those days most physicians' offices were in their homes.) He also delivered the Catholic Review and the Catholic Digest on his bicycle. Word of his cleaning expertise spread through the community and soon his business was "cleaning up". Then he began delivering Baltimore newspapers to patients in Johns Hopkins and Church Home Hospitals (brother John delivered papers to patients in Sinai Hospital, directly across the street from Johns Hopkins at that time). (Luke's 'little sister' Mary inherited the floor scrubbing jobs.) While delivering papers, Luke had the opportunity to meet some captains of industry and celebrities like Cary Grant. The money he earned went to pay his tuition to the old Calvert Hall College High School (then located across Cathedral Street from The Baltimore Basilica).
Beside their jobs cleaning floors and delivering newspapers, Luke and Mary joined their father with cooking, cleaning, and laundry when their mother became deathly ill with her last pregnancy. Their mother remained ill for about a year after the baby was born. It was during this period that Luke added infant care to his skillsets, with diapering being somewhat on the iffy side.
Two years younger than Luke, John was offered a full scholarship to Mount Saint Joseph's High School. Luke encouraged him to take it, but John insisted on attending Calvert Hall, like his big brother.
Graduating high school in 1952, after WWII and with the Korean Conflict starting, employers were reluctant to hire young men who were likely to be drafted. Always a proud patriot, Luke decided to enter the Navy after his mother had strong objections to the Marines. He trained at Bainbridge Naval Base, then was stationed at the Naval Air Station Quonset Point Rhode Island.
On May 26, 1954, while at sea, the Navy Aircraft Carrier USS Bennington sustained a series of explosions which rocked the ship when the port side catapult accumulator burst and released vaporized lubricating oil which was then detonated by a heat source. Though severely damaged internally, the warship saved the entire air group by launching them back to the home port at Quonset Point, with the ship following. Damage control, fire, and rescue parties were working to control the fire and rescue the trapped and injured, and recover the dead. The explosion killed 103 naval personnel and over 200 more were injured, most of them severely burned. The most severely injured were helicoptered back to Quonset Point. Luke spoke often about looking across the inlet and seeing the road lined with hearses. There were not enough ambulances available to transport the large number of casualties to hospitals. Funeral homes sent all available hearses to help transport the wounded.
When the Bennington docked, all Quonset Point personnel actively disembarked their wounded comrades, rushing them into the waiting hearses. One of the injured was Luke's friend, Jimmy Cole. Jimmy recalled regaining consciousness briefly while in the hearse. When he saw the lace curtains, he thought he had gone to heaven. Jimmy, the jokester, and Luke, the storyteller, were lifelong friends once they began their careers at Baltimore Gas and Electric Company.
Meanwhile, brother John was offered an appointment to West Point's United States Military Academy. Over Luke's advice to the contrary, John insisted on following his big brother into the Navy.
Luke was transferred to Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston, where he trained to be a fireman. There he was assigned to the new Destroyer Escort USS Cromwell. His parents and youngest sister Eleanor went to Boston to attend the Cromwell's commissioning ceremony. He resolved not to be career Navy, knowing he wanted to have a happy home like the one in which he grew up, and to be a real presence in his children's lives.
Luke began working in "Gas Control" at BGE on August 5, 1957, retiring after 42 years of service. During this time, he completed his Bachelor's Degree from the University of Baltimore. He was proud to work for America's first Gas Company, one of whose founders had signed the Declaration of Independence, Charles Carroll, who also lit the first gas streetlight in the United States. He enjoyed his work and the men and women with whom he served the people of Maryland, providing natural gas to heat their homes, cook their meals, and generally making life much more pleasant.
Even before Luke himself was anywhere close to retirement, he was so admired by his already retired colleagues, he was invited to join the 'OLD FARTS' retirees' lunch-bunch. As he was the ONLY one still working permanent swing-shift, they scheduled their lunches around his off days. As the Old Farts' numbers dwindled, they merged with another group, the 'Gas House Gang.'
Luke was a man of profound, deep, and abiding faith in our Lord and God, the resurrection, and the joy and peace of life everlasting with our brothers and sisters. He lived his faith, trying to love everyone, be Christ's representative on earth by doing good works, and to forgive all who injured him. He had a personal relationship with God, seeking God's direction and guidance, and always keeping others in prayer. He was certain that his guardian angels had saved his life repeatedly during his life.
Over the years he volunteered with various organizations. With his first wife he supported the establishment of On Our Own of Maryland, a self-help organization for persons with mental illness. He volunteered to investigate patients' allegations of rights violations at Spring Grove Hospital Center. He was an active member of the Robert Burns Society of Annapolis, and helped to put on the Anne Arundel Scottish Festival for 16 years. He also volunteered at the Severn Crossroads Foundation in Millersville, Maryland, and was a member of Annapolis' Guy C. Parlett Post 7 American Legion.
Luke enjoyed singing and raising his voice to praise God. He sang in various church choirs over the years, including more than 25 years in the Baldwin Memorial United Methodist Church Choir. He was also a long-standing member of Maryland's first and oldest Barbershop Chorus, The Harbor City Chorus. Luke believed singing raised the spirits and helped to drive any blues away. Luke also enjoyed dancing. At any occasion where dancing was available, after he had worn out all the women, he then started with the younger generation, going down the line. It was a treat to see him out on the dance floor, bent down, dancing with a toddler.
A devoted family man, Luke loved children. He had an innate understanding of them. He was the only man who, hearing a screaming infant, would volunteer to calm and sooth away their cries. He was an expert! He was a great Dad! He was actively involved with his children's scouting and Little League Baseball, including proudly winning a local championship. He had promised to buy the team snowballs at the stand on Joppa Road in Parkville whenever they won a game. He always laughed that the boys won so many games, he was going broke buying snowballs. But for Luke, every child was a winner, even if they lost, and it was more about trying and good sportsmanship, as long as you tried your best. Of all the titles he had in life, the one that pleased him most was "Dad"!
Luke is survived by his wife, Jennie Lee Carr Bishop, sister Eleanor Regina Boshuizen of Klamath Falls, Oregon, brother-in-law William C. Sullivan (Marge) of Potomac, Maryland, and cousin Sharon Vaughan of Baltimore. He is survived by his beloved children, Luke Fleming McCusker, III (Charlotte), Mary Catherine Hilton (Bob), Michael Patrick McCusker, Rhonda Lynn Beckham, and Margaret Elizabeth Bishop.
He is also survived by his grandchildren, Timothy Michael Hilton (Amanda), Kaitlyn Amy Hilton, Mars Hilton, Kelly Elizabeth Hilton, Julianne Nichole Hilton, Rosh Dhingra, Paula McCusker, Benjamin McCusker, and Erin McCusker. Luke had three great grandchildren, Isaac Philip Afram, Elliette and Aja Hilton-Sanyal. He is also survived by nieces and nephews; Margie Rice (John), George Baker (Robin), Rita Schmidt (Bill), Joan Welch (Bill), Joseph McCusker (Amy), Bridget Kilbourne, Elizabeth Boshuizen, Johannes Boski (Julie), Patricia Marie Sonberg (Greg), Dennis James Curtin (Beth), Dena Lynn Ward (Merle), Brenda Marie Leoni (David), and Jacqueline McCusker. Luke was also blessed with a myriad of great and great-great nieces and nephews.
He enjoyed time spent with his family, and especially had wonderful memories of days spent with his grandchildren at Six Flags America, scouting, and school events. He was proud and loved all of his children, grandchildren, and great-grands. The same was true for his many nieces and nephews. He felt greatly blessed throughout his life and remained cognitively intact, keeping these wonderful memories until his passing. He will be greatly missed until we meet again.
Luke was pre-deceased by his first wife Margaret Sullivan, brother and sister-in-law John and Joyce McCusker, sister and husband Mary and George Baker, brother-in-law Jan Boshuizen, daughter Deborah Lee McCusker, grandson Evan William McCusker, nephew Patrick (Scunny) McCusker, sister-in-law and husband Lucille and Lance Gravely, sister-in-law and husband Alice and James Curtin, and brother-in-law Elwood Albert Carr, nephew Paul Wayne Fouts, niece Donna Kaye Adkins, and nephew and wife Gary and Cindy Fouts.
On Friday, January 27, 2023, from 2 to 4 PM and 7 to 9 PM, family and friends will join to honor and remember Luke's life at Hardesty Funeral Home, 851 Annapolis Road, Gambrills, Maryland 21054. On Saturday, January 28, 2023, at Baldwin Memorial United Methodist Church, 921 General's Highway, Millersville, Maryland 21108, family and friends will gather to pay their last respects between 10 to 11 AM, with the funeral service to immediately follow at 11 AM.
A celebration of life luncheon is planned afterwards at Annapolis' Guy C. Parlette Post 7 American Legion Hall, located at 1905 Crownsville Road, Annapolis, Maryland 21401. If you plan to attend, please RSVP by calling or texting to Patricia Sonberg at 410-802-2878, or leave a message at 410-987-5815. Donations of desserts for the celebration would be welcomed to sweeten the occasion, if you are so inclined.
In lieu of flowers, it is requested that donations be made to Luke's favorite charities, St. Jude's Children's Hospital (Phone: 800-805-5856), Shriners Hospitals for Children (Phone: 844-739-0849), and Wounded Warrior Project (Phone: 855-448-3997).