Robert Leo Cushing Jr.

Robert Leo Cushing Jr., died of cancer at his Virginia home of 36 years on December 18, 2025, at the age of 77, with his wife by his side. Bob was born on August 18, 1948, in Munich in the then American-occupied zone of post-World War II Germany, where his father, Robert L. (U.S. Army) and mother, Marion L. Simpson Cushing, were stationed at the height of the Cold War with the Soviet Union.

The Cushing family lived in several states (Maryland, Indiana, Alaska, California, Virginia, and Hawaii) while Bob was growing up. He achieved Eagle Scout status, the highest Boy Scout honor. He graduated with distinction from the then George Mason College of the University of Virginia in 1971, becoming the first student to graduate with a double major in biology and history. Bob also earned a master's degree in public administration in 1997 from George Mason University.

He enlisted in the District of Columbia Air National Guard (DCANG) in 1971 and was assigned to the 113th Tactical Fighter Wing at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. After marrying Christine Hughes in 1972, the two George Mason alumni left Fairfax in 1973 to undertake graduate studies at the University of Virginia. The pair returned to Northern Virginia in 1977 where Bob was a jet engine technician at the DCANG until 1985. He continued as a reservist, having served 23 years when he retired from military service in 1994.

His 35-year federal government, civilian career in defense-related positions overlapped his military service. This civilian work included employment from 1985–93 at the Naval Weapons Engineering Support Activity (Washington Navy Yard) and the Naval Air Systems Command (Arlington, Virginia). His final federal employment was with the Department of Defense where he served from 2002 until his retirement in 2012 as the Chief of the Information Management Division (IMD), Directorate of Information, Operations, and Reports (DIOR)/Executive Services Directorate (ESD), at the Washington Headquarters Services in Alexandria, Virginia.

Bob spent his retirement years enjoying ferrying his teenagers, Sunny and Diana to school and activities, reading history books, and taking walks with his wife of 53 years and his beloved Dalmatian mix, "Baby."

Survivors include his wife, Christine Hughes; children, Sunny Cushing-Spiller and Diana Nelson (Caleb); brother, David Cushing (Susan); sisters-in-law, Mary Dykes (William) and Kathi Hughes (John); nephews, Nathan Cushing and Martin Hughes (Madison); and niece, Molly Cushing.

Burial will take place in the spring at Fairfax Memorial Park. Memorial donations may be made to the Rappahannock Animal Welfare League (RAWL), P. O. Box 396, Amissville, VA 20106/www.rawldogs.org, the no-kill shelter from which Bob adopted "Baby."