Iva Bernadine Cushman

        Iva “Bernadine” Dunaway Milton Cushman, was born on June 18, 1914, the youngest daughter of Samuel and Ida (Liechty) Dunaway along with an older sister, Mildred she was raised on a farm west of Milford, IA and attended country school. After graduating from Spencer High School in 1932, she went on to teach in local country schools until her marriage.

     On November 26, 1936 she married Howard Milton in Meadow Township. The newlyweds settled on the Milton home farm and became the parents of Richard, Mary, Monte and Milan. A mother, farmwife, Sunday School Teacher and gardener kept her busy. Life was altered for the family in 1946 when Howard suffered a fatal heart attack. Bernadine and the children stayed on the family farm.

     Bernadine married Forrest Cushman on September 27, 1952. Her love of teaching carried throughout her life after her children moved on with their lives. She returned to teaching first at Meadow Township No. 7, Dickens Consolidated and finishing her career at Sacred Heart Parochial School in Spencer.

     After Forrest passed away in 1987, Bernadine moved to Spencer on W. 9th St. for 30 years. She entered the Hartley Community Health Center in February 2019.

    In 2014 the family gathered for Bernadine‘s 100th birthday at the Congregational Church in Spencer.

     Bernadine passed away on Saturday, May 1, 2021 at the Community Memorial Health Center in Hartley at the age of 106.

     Bernadine is survived by her daughter, Mary Cullen of Primghar, IA; her daughter-in-law’s, Janet Milton of Chicago, IL and Jody Milton of Bloomington, MN; five grandsons: James, Robert, Rick, Jeff, and Neil; and her granddaughter, Shawneen Mitchell; other relatives and friends.                                                                                                                             

    She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband‘s Howard and Forrest; her sons: Richard, Monte and Milan Milton; her sister, Mildred Rottunda and her son-in-law, Eugene Cullen.

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