Al E Cushman

Al E. Cushman passed away peacefully in his sleep April 17, 2021 after fighting a heroic 11-year battle with Leukemia and Merkel Cell cancer.  Al was born August 17, 1946 in Fort Worth, Texas to parents Joe and Dorothy (Maxon) Cushman and was a loving husband, brother, father, and grandfather.

Al grew up in Fort Worth, Texas with little brother Jim. He graduated from R. L. Paschal High School where he excelled in academics and football. After high school Al accepted a scholarship offer to play football at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. A leg injury cut his football career short, and he made the decision to transfer to Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.  Al would become a proud member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity, receive his bachelor’s degree in business, become a lifelong Red Raider fan, and one fateful night a fraternity brother would introduce him to a pretty co-ed named Paula Stowe. Thus, began a lifelong love story that would endure the test of time. After dating for two years, Al and Paula married August 26, 1967 and were married 53-years until Al’s death.

In 1969, after graduating Texas Tech, Al and Paula settled in Houston, Texas where Al started his career as a computer component sales representative. This is also where they would start their family as all three of their children (Camie, Paul and Clint) were born in Houston. They attended Southwest Methodist Church where they would make lifelong friendships with several of the couples in their Sunday school class. To this day these friendships have continued with countless get-togethers, vacations, conference basketball tournaments and trips to Concan, Texas.

In 1985, Al moved his family to Austin, Texas to follow a business opportunity. In 1987, Al decided to take a chance and become a small business owner and partnered with Ollis Lewis and Mike Lawrence to start Sunbelt Components, Inc. Sunbelt was like another child for Al that he loved and nourished to continued success until his last days. While in Austin, Al and Paula continued raising their family eventually graduating their three children from Westwood High School in Austin, Texas.  All three children would continue the family legacy of proud Red Raiders by attending and graduating from Texas Tech University. Each child would also go on to receive post graduate degrees as well.

In 2007, Al and Paula moved to Plano, Texas so Al could take over as the President of Sunbelt Components’ headquarters in Dallas, Texas. Al would partner with Price Rogers and other members of the Sunbelt team to continue the growth and success of the Company. Colleagues remember Al as a consummate gentleman, a man of Faith, and of the highest integrity whose honesty was beyond reproach. Al honored personal relationships above the bottom line. He believed that if you always treated a person the right way, the business side would work itself out in the long run.

The greatest story of Al’s life was the depth of his love. Especially his love for his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, his wife, three children, six grandchildren, friends and family. Al and Paula were active members of Prestonwood Baptist Church where they continued their faith journey and developed lifelong friendships and supported multiple ministries. Al’s faith never wavered, even during his long battle with cancer. If anything, cancer became the fire that strengthened the steel of his Faith and would be a Spiritual inspiration for everyone that knew him.

Being a family man was so important to Al.  He made time for his family to listen, play, support, and console. His “Big Al” hugs were the stuff of legends and always made you feel loved. He always made his children’s and grandchildren’s activities a priority, even to the extent that he would sit his kids down to apologize on the rare occasion he would miss something due to a business trip or dinner.

Al was very proud of each of his children’s academic and professional accomplishments. As proud as Al was that all three of his children became productive members of society, the most important thing to him was that they all continued a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and are raising his grandchildren in the Christian faith.

Al is survived by his loving wife Paula, children Camie Cushman and her partner Dan DeGraaf, Major (USAF Ret.) Paul Cushman and his wife Jennifer, Clint Cushman and his wife Kristi, grandchildren Allison, Andrew, Stewart, Colton, Blaine, and Payton, brother Jim Cushman and his wife Jeri, nieces Suzanne Grimes and Liz Dorough, and nephew Bill Grimes and his wife Debbie. He was preceded in death by his parents Joe Cushman and Dorothy (Maxon) Cushman and nephew Corporal Joey Cushman, formerly of the Arlington, Texas Police Department.

The family will receive friends for a visitation Wednesday, April 28, 2021 from 6:00pm – 8:00pm at Allen Family Funeral Options, Plano, Texas.

The funeral to celebrate Al will be held Thursday, April 29, 2021 at 2:00 pm at Prestonwood Baptist Church, 6801 W Park Blvd, Plano, Texas 75093.

Al will be laid to rest at Ridgeview Memorial Park, 2525 N Central Expressway, Allen, Texas 75013 immediately following the service.

If desired, the family suggests memorials be made to the American Cancer Society or Shriners Hospital for Children.