Carol Cushing died on October 4, 2026, after a battle with dementia and cancer.

She is survived by her son Marc Carver of Providence, RI, and his partner Christine Lomaka, her daughter Lynne Carver-Clancy and son-in-law James Clancy of Francestown, grandson Isaac Clancy of Portland, Maine, granddaughter Bailey Clancy of Francestown, and nephews Gary, Michael, Steven, and Terry. She is predeceased by her brother Jack Bailey.

Carol Cushing was born and raised in Port Huron, Michigan, and spent her adult life in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, and New Hampshire.

Carol was a force of nature, a mighty soul who filled her life with rich, varied experiences.

She was a nurse (mostly critical and cardiac care, but many other specialties as well) for 45 years. A lifelong straight-A student, Carol also obtained advanced degrees in history and ecology science.

Carol was a nature writer. She wrote a book about New Hampshire mountains and trails, and wrote a recurring column about outdoor life for the Concord Monitor newspaper.

Carol’s zeal for experiencing the natural world, and for practicing stewardship of the environment — protecting planet Earth — was the fire that lit so much of Carol’s journey. Carol’s profound reverence for God’s creation was what quenched her lifelong yearning for connection to the divine.

Carol was a birder who regularly took trips to the Isles of Shoals to do bird banding. She was a volunteer guide at the Audubon Center.

Carol was an avid outdoors photographer who archived hundreds of her own photos as prints and slides.

Carol traveled extensively — in the Americas, and to locales all around the world, for business and pleasure. Some of her destinations were China, New Zealand, and several Caribbean countries.

Carol was a cycling enthusiast who took many bicycle trips, and on one trip she rode her bicycle 3,000 miles across the United States.

Carol also enjoyed hiking, swimming, gardening, camping, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing.

Carol was always busy. She volunteered with seniors in assisted living. She worked on conservation issues. She volunteered in political campaigns.

Carol was a loyal daughter. In her mother Lillian’s final years, Carol moved Lillian north to be closer, and Carol lovingly managed care for the rest of her mother’s life.

Carol was an exceptional mother and role model to her two children. Carol taught them honesty and moral accountability. She always, always strived to do things the right way, and she served as an example to the young Marc and Lynne that being a good person and a good citizen are their own rewards.

Even when Carol was not at work as a nurse, she was a gifted caregiver at home. When Lynne or Marc were sick as children, Carol became a rock for them. She knew just the right treatment, just the right therapeutic touch, just the right dose of calm and empathy, to bestow on her kids. For her children, Mom was a compassionate healer and a steady hand.

To Marc and Lynne — and to friends, life partners, and colleagues — Carol had an instinctive sense of self-worth as a woman, long before the word feminism was even a part of societal conversation. It never occurred to Carol that being a woman could keep her from doing things in life. From her earliest days, Carol blazed her own trail — in her career and in her personal life — and took command of her destiny without regard to any preconceptions of what a woman was supposed to do or not do. This conviction that Carol held about the power and self-worth of a woman laid the foundation early on for her children. Because of Carol’s example, Lynne and Marc were children unencumbered by false notions of what women and men were supposed to be, and this has served them well all their lives through.

And even in the face of a diagnosis of dementia, and all through the enormous changes in physical and emotional well-being that steadily and inexorably became a part of her life, Carol stayed true to her remarkable character. She never gave up. She tried and she tried. She tried until at last she could try no more. Carol inspired all around her with her enormous determination and bravery, all the way to her final breath.

Carol raised two proud and eternally grateful children. She doted on her two grandchildren and was a traveling companion and pal to them. Carol pampered her pet cats. She treasured, and was treasured by, her close friends and colleagues. They all have been loved fiercely by Carol. They have been inspired by her voraciously curious mind, her thirst for adventure, her honesty, her courage, and mostly by her indomitable spirit. And they have been blessed with an extraordinary mother, grandmother, friend, colleague, and role model. The world is a little smaller without Carol.

Never daunted. Always mighty.

A gathering in Carol’s memory will be held at a later date on Cape Cod (Chatham), or in Concord, New Hampshire. Details will be posted on the website of Waters Funeral Home in Concord.