Fearless Female Blog Post: March 5 ~ At the Corner of Bread and Cookies

My father, Dick Seavey, and my mother, Marilyn Bustin, met at a place I have written about before. And dear Cupid, in the guise of mutual friend, Winnie Cooper, found the perfect assignment at Cushman’s Bakery in Portland, Maine, in the early Spring of 1954.

Fresh out of the Navy, Dick was working in the Bread Room at the Bakery’s Store #5 at 107 Elm Street. Following a couple of summers working there during high school, and with no money for college, it was only natural for Marilyn to return to work there following graduation from Deering High School in 1949.

Having graduated from South Portland High School the same year, Dick knew many of the same people, many of whom would remain friends of theirs for years to come.

The above pictures were taken while they visited 

with Dick's sister and brother-in-law 

in their mobile home

While visiting Washington with friends that Spring, Marilyn sent Dick this postcard (postmarked March 29, 1954):

“Dear Dick -
Hello again and how are you today? It is real warm here today. Just been shopping. Going to a show tonight. Don’t know if another letter will get to you before I do or not. Gee wiz, I really never knew I could miss anyone so much, but I do. Should be home by 6 Sunday night. I wish you would call me. If you want to that is. Hope you miss me a little. See you soon. Love, Marilyn”

I guess he did, because they were married the following September, and were married for 56 years.





Lisa Alzo of  The Accidental Genealogist blog is presenting her Fearless Females: 31 Blogging Prompts to Celebrate Women’s History Month series in honor of National Women’s History Month.

Those Places Thursday - Cushman's Bakery of Portland, Maine

Cushman's Bakery, in Portland, Maine, was one of  "those places" that played an integral part in the lives of many members of my family.  It could even be said that, but for Cushman's, I wouldn't even be here...


My maternal grandfather, Ross Bustin (1908-1990) worked at Cushman's as a truck driver, from a small neighborhood delivery truck, whose sides opened up to reveal the freshest bread, rolls, pies and donuts, to the longer distance trucks which had routes all over New England.  He ended his working career running the small retail outlet on Franklin St., on Munjoy Hill.  I remember stopping in many times in those waning days of Cushman's presence in Portland.

His brother Lawrence (1913-1969), whom I knew as Uncle Laurie, was foreman on the shipping floor for over 35 years at Store #5, at 107 Elm St.


It was there that their sister Vesta (1907-1964), whom I knew as Aunt Beck, worked in the office as a bookkeeper.  When we were little kids, Aunt Beck would always bring us discarded office paper for us to draw and color on (an early recycler!)  Her husband, Vanstone Tewksbury, also worked there at one time.


Dad (Richard Seavey) started at "the bakery" sometime around October 1953, after he came home from his stint in the Navy. He always worked in the Bread Room, which accelerated a mild asthma condition. He stayed with Cushman's until the company closed its Portland operations altogether in the '60's.

Mom (Marilyn Bustin) worked there in the Cookie Room during the summer of 1948, between her junior and senior year of high school, and then returned after graduation 1949.  A mutual friend played matchmaker and soon a budding romance was under way!  She continued working there after they were married until the end of December 1954, when she discovered she was pregnant with Yours Truly.


My memories of Cushman's include sitting in the family station wagon waiting for Dad to get off work.  We were one of many one-car families back then, and if Mom needed the car, she took him in and picked him up. Frequently, Dad would come to the window of the Break Room to let us know he had a chance to get some overtime, and we would wait it out. Our family knew so many of the workers that we would have lots of car-window visitors.  We would also have numerous plant tours with our Scout troops, etc.  And, of course, there was always the bread (I particularly remember a pastel-ly swirl loaf used to make canapes) and the donuts (in the see-through box).

The Maine Historical Society, on p. 4 of their Spring 2005 issue, published an excellent article on the history of Cushman's. And, just last summer, Colin Sargent published Cushman's "Secret" Scotch Cookie Recipe on his Portland Monthly website.