Harold Gillespie Cushman Jr., 93, of Myrtle Beach, passed away peacefully on Saturday March 25th with his son and daughter by his side. Mr. Cushman was born in his childhood home in Conway, SC in 1929, to Harold Gillespie Cushman and Elsie Mae McCoy Cushman.
He attended Conway High School and is a 1951 graduate of The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina.
Upon graduation from The Citadel, he was appointed a second lieutenant. He quickly entered training at Fort Bliss, Texas, and Camp Stewart Georgia. He entered the Korean War and was appointed first lieutenant and was Platoon Leader for Battery D, 145th Anti-aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion, 45th Infantry Division. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service in connection with military operations against the enemy in Korea, serving 13 months in combat from March 1952 to April 1953. Mr. Cushman also served as a Captain in the South Carolina National Guard as Company Commander of Company D, 263rd Tank Battalion, 51st Infantry in Myrtle Beach, SC until resigning in 1963.
He married the love of his life; Dianne Chipley Cushman in December of 1954 and they were married for 60 years until her death in 2015.
He went to work in 1955 for his soon-to-be business partner Archie Dargan of Dargan Construction Company and retired as President of their company in 1995 after 40 years. Mr. Cushman served on Dargan Construction Company’s Board of Directors until 2019.
Mr. Cushman joined the Conway National Bank Board of Directors in 1963 at the age of 34 and served faithfully on the board for 48 years retiring as Chairman of the Board of the Conway National Bank & CNB Corporation in 2011.
In addition to Dargan Construction Company and the Conway National Bank; Mr. Cushman was involved in many of our area businesses such as the Myrtle Beach Martinique Hotel, The Breakers Resort, Equipment Rental & Supply Company, Coastal Crane Company, Chicora Development, Myrtle Beach Tennis Club, Alabama Theater, Ice House Group, Wicked Stick Golf Course and Myrtle Beach National Corporation.
He served on the Governor’s Task Force for the Myrtle Beach Military Base Closing Commission. He was a member of the governing board for the Waccamaw Center for Mental Health and served on the Board of Advisors for the Presbyterian Home of South Carolina. He was a Rotarian being named Rotarian of the Year & a past President of the Myrtle Beach Rotary Club. He also served on the Customer Advisory Board for Santee Cooper.
He was a faithful member of the First Presbyterian Church of Myrtle Beach and served on many committees and as a Deacon & Elder of the church.
He was a long-time member of The Dunes Golf & Beach Club and served on many committees and the Board of Directors in various positions and was President of the Club in 1983. He was also inducted in 2017 into The Alligator Club for members of distinction.
Mr. Cushman was predeceased by his parents; his wife Dianne Chipley Cushman; sisters Kate C. Ward and Elsie C. Warwick “Mac”; and son Marion Shannon Cushman; and nephew Charles Warwick IV “Buddy”.
Mr. Cushman is survived by his daughter Frances Faison Cushman; son Harold G. Cushman III “Harry” and his wife Lisa; two grandchildren Kara Dawn Cushman and Harold G. Cushman IV “Gil”; nieces Katherine W. (David) Saunders and Elizabeth W. (Dr. Anthony) Thebaut; nephew Harry C. (Jane) Ward.
He loved his family, church, friends, neighbors, pets and the Myrtle Beach & Conway Communities. His generosity supported many local & national charities, The Citadel, and his church to name a few. He also enjoyed playing tennis, hunting and offshore fishing with family & friends. He was known for his kindness and attention to detail.
The family would like to thank his caregivers Liz Proffitt, Linda Jones & her staff and Embrace Hospice House.
Visitation will be at 1:00 p.m. Thursday March 30th, 2023, at the First Presbyterian Church of Myrtle Beach. The funeral service will follow at 2:00 p.m. in the church sanctuary officiated by Dr. John Brearley. Burial will follow at Lakeside Cemetery in Conway SC.
For anyone wanting to send a memorial, please send to the First Presbyterian Church of Myrtle Beach, SC, or the Grand Strand Humane Society.
Please sign an online guestbook at www.goldfinchfuneralhome.com
Goldfinch Funeral Home, Conway Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.