Obituaries

William “Bill” Cusick, C.P.A., age 80 and a lifelong resident of Scranton, passed away surrounded by his family on Thursday morning at Regional Hospital in Scranton. He is survived by the love of his life, childhood sweetheart and wife of 55 years, Margaret “Peggy” (Jennings) Cusick. The couple were married on May 4th of 1968.
Bill was born on July 23, 1942, raised in South Scranton and was son of the late Joseph E. and Claire M. (Best) Cusick. He was a 1960 graduate of the former South Scranton Central Catholic High School before attending the University of Scranton where he graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Accounting in 1964.
Upon graduation, Bill was drafted into the U.S. Army where he was given a special assignment in Ethiopia, eventually leading to him receiving a secret security clearance from the National Security Agency. He was honorably discharged in 1967 after proudly serving his country. He returned to his alma mater, the University of Scranton, to earn his M.B.A. (Masters in Business Administration) in Accounting in 1969. He then began his career as a Pennsylvania licensed Certified Public Accountant, a profession he both loved and took tremendous pride in. After serving with several firms from Wilkes Barre to Binghamton, N.Y., Bill spent nearly a decade as the chairman of the accounting department at the I.C.S. (International Correspondence School). In 1983, he confounded his own accounting practice – Senker and Cusick, Certified Public Accountants – operating for over three decades until his well-deserved retirement from the firm.
Bill loved absolutely everything about his job. He was a member of countless accounting boards and organizations, formerly taught Managerial Accounting at Penn State University’s Worthington Campus and, even upon retirement, continued to selflessly help all in need of accounting services simply because he cared. His preparation was impressive, attention to detail was unrivaled and organization was meticulous.
Even beyond his passion for his craft came his strong faith in God. Bill was a devoted member of St. Patrick’s Church in West Scranton where he served in just about every capacity. From Eucharistic minister to choir member to head of collections (fittingly), he was a pillar of the parish. He was also active at St. Ann’s Basilica where he also served and helped in donation collections.
Bill was a huge baseball fan who loved his New York Yankees (gave up on the Dodgers once they moved out west). He and Peggy were avid travelers, having spanned the globe from trips to Europe to India to Hawaii.
Above all else came Bill’s family. Along with Peggy, he especially adored his children, granddaughter and siblings. When asked why he loved accounting, Bill would say that “he loved seeing everything balance out in the end.” As he passed away on Thursday, content with his life’s work and leaving his legacy in the hands of a family whom he was so proud of, Bill once again left things perfectly balanced. He will be forever missed.
Along with Peggy, Bill is survived by his three loving children, Tim Cusack of Brooklyn, N.Y., Patrick Cusick of Scranton and Kelly Cusick of Scranton; his granddaughter who adored her “Big G”, Amanda Cusick; his siblings, Martin J. Cusick and wife Kathy of Taylor and Ann Zawadzki and husband Joseph of Scranton; and many nieces and nephews, especially his dear great nephew, Jacob Zawadzki.
Bill was tragically preceded in death by both his granddaughter, Rachel Marie Cusick, and his daughter-in-law, Laurie Cusick.
His family would like to acknowledge and thank the entire staff of Regional Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit for the tremendous care given to both Bill and his family.
Funeral services are scheduled to begin on Monday at 9:00 AM from the Kevin K. Kearney Funeral Home, Inc., 125 N. Main Avenue, Scranton, with a 10:00 AM Mass of Christian Burial at St. Patrick’s Church, 1403 Jackson Street, West Scranton, to be celebrated by Rev. Richard Fox, Pastor. Burial with full military honors by the AMVETS Honor Guard will follow at the Cathedral Cemetery.
Family and friends may pay their respects on Sunday between 2-6:00 PM at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made in Bill’s name to St. Patrick’s Church 1401 Jackson St., Scranton Pa. 18504; Saint Ann’s Basilica c/o 1233 St. Ann St., Scranton, Pa. 18504; or to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital c/o 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. Please visit the funeral home’s website for directions or to leave a condolence.