A Joy Cushman Photo-Retrospective

Dear Reader: The blog about Joy Cushman's life has been pushed down, and you have to access it by looking over to the list on the right... where it says Joy Cushman- The "Promotion"...

Aunt Joy never clamored for attention... She was much more proud of her deeds and her swimmers... her friends and her family... and was satisfied with them doing the talking for her. Having no children, she only had sporadic scrapbooking done by her brother and a few others. The Internet was not around in those days.. so we can make our own Joy Cushman scrapbook here. If you have a picture which belongs with these- send it to me! Thank You cousin Trudy Miller for these first ones, which started the scrapbook!

Trudy (her cousin's daughter) and Joy

Lisa & Robert Cushman, Susan Hight, (some of "the boys") and Joy

Nephews Russell, Reynolds & Joy

Only some of the family @ Robert Cushman's annual New Years Day feast. Robert is her youngest nephew, a talented fisherman, and a strong swimmer.

Even MORE of the folks @ Robert's New Years Day feast...

(top) Nephews Reynolds & Robert, & his youngest Triston, nephew Richard (on Botm) Joy, her brother Richard Sr & nephew Russell.

Joy Cushman about age 10

Cousin Annie Woods (Rollins), brother Ralph Cushman Jr, cousin Parker Woods & Joy

Joy dressed to kill... perhaps for the prom?

Joy primping for a photographer... for a Shell magazine bio on her. Basically shy, she avoided glamorization.

Joy with her father Ralph B. Cushman Sr, and her brothers Richard (at top) and Ralph Jr.

A whole bunch of Cushmans... (Durant descendants) at a Confederate marker dedication for Major. George Durant CSA.

Joy (far right) with her girls... nobody doubted that she was the "mama bear" when it came to these kids.

A famous moment with ABC Sports announcer Jim McKay

Joy in Synchro training with girls from all over the country @ Washington D. C.

Joy played the classic "Middle Child" role to the very end...

Joy had another "family," a HUGE one, the Pardos in Mexico... with whom she spent much of her spare time... and many of us got to know them over the years. We were willing to share... But they were going to steal her if they could.

Joy with her fellow Corkettes @ the Shamrock pool.

Ralph Jr., Joy, Richard Sr., and Ralph B. Cushman Sr. Joy was truly a godsend to these three men, who often needed a peacemaker. This role well prepared her for coaching and public relations etc...

One of the best pictures of Joy ever.

Joy worked at a desk at Shell, but not often wearing all of her brass! Posing for a photo, this was an event jacket, with pins and passes... Security was tight at Olympic events. This jacket could get her in anyplace.

Another best picture of Joy ever...

A recent visit by Joy's fam to Clarewood House on her 97th birthday.

Joy happily surrounded by her beloved "boys," and some new recruits. Of note on the upper left is her first nephew, Ralph Cushman III from Alaska. She was always especially happy when we were all there at once!

Some mementos...

Joy (2 yrs younger) and brother Ralph graduated from High School THE SAME YEAR. You do the math. Any explanation you can muster is probably true. She was the "A" student, the band leader, the over-achiever... Brother Ralph, not so much.

Joy as a happy tadpole, just beginning a lifetime of water ballet, which was changed to synchronized swimming- now called "Artistic Swimming."

Joy entertains her namesake, grand-niece Raegan Joy Cushman

The Shamrock Hilton was very savvy to use the Corkettes for publicity purposes... on the far right is her niece Susan.

Joy often served as coach, judge or chaperon for the "SynchrOlympians" for the Olympic Games.

Pure love.

Many Happy birthdays... Nphews Richard Jr., Robert and niece Susan, (Her brother Richard's children) with Joy. Long-lived and always interested and concerned, Joy was our "second mother," in many ways.

Seeing Joy often meant big hugs... and for some of us near-sighted folk that meant bent-up glasses, because we hung them by lanyards about chest high. Reynolds found the solution... glasses which separate at the nose and cling to the neck... pretty nifty, making hugs safe!

Two brownies gone. Two guilty faces. Joy and Richard Jr. are showing solidarity in their innocence here... Aunt Joy always knew what was good. The best cars, the best restaurants, the best cities in the world... and she also knew what was bad. Never-the-less, she never tolerated any negative speech about any of "her boys." Believe me, I tried. ;)

Four generations of Cushmans... Austin Cushman and father Robert show off Austin's new son Lincoln...

Alex Cushman (Ralph III's oldest) with his two daughters meeting Joy for their first time... Now this visit seems even more special!

And on and on it goes!

Glenn McCarthy cuts the ribbon on his new Hilton Hotel in Houston. This opened a huge chapter in Joy's life.

A night-time view of the Shamrock Hilton Hotel in its hey-day.

Joy is on the yop row in the white swimsuit in the middle... Smiling was mandatory.. but automatic with her.

They actually arranged a water-skiing demonstration INSIDE the Shamrock's olympic-sized pool!

The famous Shamrock Corkettes! At one point Joy built up the Synchro program to 100 swimmers.

Sometimes the Corkettes went on the road... Inspiring Synchro programs throughout Texas... and the world! They went to Mexico, Japan, and wherever they could.

Please click on OLDER POSTS (below to right) to read about Joy's life...