Amherst, John M. Cushing, a long-time resident of South Amherst and a popular physical education teacher within the Amherst Regional School System, died Oct. 2 in the Cooley Dickenson Hospital in Northampton.  He was 83.

John is well known to generations of elementary school students in the Amherst Regional School System, primarily at Marks Meadow Elementary School but he also taught physical education at the Wildwood and Fort River Elementary Schools.  He was also a Downhill Ski Team coach for Amherst Regional High School.  Additionally, he spent many summers as a life guard and swimming instructor at the War Memorial Pool and the Mill River Pool.  He also ran summer recreation programs for the Town of Amherst, and one particularly popular one introduced kids to the joys track & field.  John also coached many youth sports teams.

Outside the classroom, John had many hobbies and interests that kept him busy throughout his life.  In his younger years, he spent a lot of time fishing.  Some favorite fishing destinations included the Quabbin Reservoir for bass and catfish, Swansea and Cape Cod for stripers and bluefish, and various lakes and ponds throughout Western Mass for pickerel, trout, and anything else that would bite.  Even in the coldest months of winter, he would pull on his Sorels to go ice fishing.  In his later years, he became more and more active with birdwatching, which took him and wife Merry all over New England along with a wide circle of their birding friends.  He was also a good sport about supporting Merry’s daily obsession with hiking, and even climbed Mt. Norwottuck on the Holyoke Range in South Amherst at the age of 82!

Naturally, being a physical education teacher meant John had a life-long passion for sports.  In high school he was a scrappy football player for Cushing Academy, despite being small to play football, inspired by the football success of his older brother Joe.  He also competed in downhill skiing.  He played tennis throughout his life, but became an increasingly active tennis player after he retired from teaching and played in competitive tennis leagues well into his 70s.  He also enjoyed playing in an Amherst golf league for many years, along with his long time friend Don Johnson.

John was a big fan of New England professional sports, and particularly the Red Sox and Patriots.  It certainly made up for many, many frustrating years as a New England sports fan for him to see the Red Sox win the World Series three times, and the Patriots win the Super Bowl five times!

John was born in Fitchburg, MA, in 1934 to Joseph Cushing and Ruth Merwin Cushing.  He grew up as the second youngest of five siblings, and his family lived across the street from a small downhill skiing facility.  He went to High School at Cushing Academy.  When he served a 2-year stint in the U.S. Army, he was stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  He then went to UMass and completed his degree in Physical Education and later went on to get his Masters Degree.  While at UMass, he was a member of the UMass Ski Club and the swim team where he competed as a diver.  It was there that he met his future wife, Merry Borden. 

Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Merry Borden Cushing.  Other survivors include their three children:  John M. Cushing Jr (Vienna, VA}; Amy Dulac {Amherst}; and Thomas Cushing (Stratford, CT}; as well as 5 grandchildren, Elizabeth Dulac, Thomas Dulac, Emily Rose Cushing, Faith Cushing, and Andrew Thomas Cushing.  Additional survivors include his brother Joseph Cushing from Franconia, New Hampshire; his sister Nancy Howe from Rutland, MA; and his brother Matthew Cushing from Atco, New Jersey.

The family appreciates all the well wishes they have received, but requests that no flowers or gifts be sent.  For anyone who would like to make a donation in John’s honor, the family requests it be sent to the Kestrel Land Trust, PO Box 1016, Amherst, MA  01004 or https://www.kestreltrust.org/give/tributegift.