FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. – Mary Jane Knight Cushman, 64, died peacefully Feb. 11, 2011, at Northeast Florida Community Hospice, Jacksonville, Fla., with her husband, David Charles Cushman, and son, David Knight Cushman, by her side. Her daughter, Heather Cushman Dowdee and husband, Kevin, arrived from Los Angeles with her four grandchildren a few days later. Heather went to Florida with two of her children earlier to say goodbye. Her parents, Dr. Fred B. and Jane W. Knight of Bangor visited her to say goodbye at the hospice a few days before she died. Mary Jane was born Sept. 22, 1946, in Bangor.
Surviving are her four grandchildren, Isobel, Fiona, Gwyneth and Ean Dowdee; two siblings: sister, Susan L. Knight and husband, Ronald M. Hughes, of Scarborough and brother, James W. Knight and wife, Michelle Horino, of Louisville, Colo.; several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Mary Jane graduated from high school in Ann Arbor, Mich., and attended classes at Albion College and the University of Michigan before she was married. After her marriage to David Cushman she continued her studies and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in education from Northern Michigan University. She was a very talented person with expertise in arts, crafts, music and other areas. Her favorite professional position was as teacher of gifted students in middle school and high school in Nassau County, Fla. She was greatly appreciated by the many students she taught. She retired reluctantly after 20 years because of her disability. Mary Jane loved her birth city and in later life enjoyed visits in the summer at a family camp on Holbrook Pond, Holden.
A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 19, in the chapel of Oxley-Heard Funeral Home, Fernandina Beach, Fla.