Kathleen Ruth Cushing

"A life well lived is a precious gift of hope, strength, and grace from someone who has made our world a brighter, better place."

- Author unknown

Kathleen Ruth Cushing passed away last week at the age of 93 after a long and courageous battle with illness. Fiercely loving, endlessly compassionate, and always more concerned with giving than receiving, Kathleen lived a life defined not by wealth or status but by faith, resilience, and heart. Born in 1931 in a small copper-mining town near Antofagasta, Chile, Kathleen was raised amid sweeping landscapes and the traditions of the "gauchos" she so fondly remembered. But her early years were also marked by loss and upheaval. Her father disappeared, her mother suffered a debilitating stroke, and World War II forced the family's return to the United States under the cover of blackout-aboard a ship navigating dangerous waters patrolled by German submarines.

Settling in Indiana near family, Kathleen began working as a housekeeper at age 12 to help support her mother and brothers. From those difficult days, she carried with her a lifelong commitment to frugality, generosity, and empathy. "You have to understand," she would often say, "there are people who have nothing." She graduated from Jefferson Township High School in Upland, where she met her first husband, Jack Walz--a handsome athlete who won her heart (and shared his sandwich at lunch). Together, they raised five children: Kenton, Jerry, Barbara, Daniel, and Martha, and eventually moved to Silver City, New Mexico, seeking a drier climate to ease Kathleen's health issues. There, Kathleen earned her nursing credentials and began a lifetime of service-working in clinics and hospitals, caring for patients, raising children, and finding ways to make ends meet.

With grit and determination, she and Jack moved the family from a downtrodden trailer park and expanded a modest concrete house on Market Street into a home large enough for their growing family and her beloved mother, "Grammy," who lived with them until her passing. The family did most of the work sometimes at night under flood lamps. Kathleen picked up extra shifts and private nursing jobs to send her children to St. Mary's Academy, instilling in them values of hard work, faith, and service.

After her divorce in the 1970s, Kathleen reinvented her life once again--opening a teen hangout called "The Place" in Silver City. It was there she met the great love of her life, Bill Cushing, a big-hearted tradesman with an infectious laugh. Their bond was instant and unshakable. Together, they moved to Houston during Kathleen's cancer treatment, then to Odessa, and finally back to Albuquerque, where they put down deep roots.

In 1982, they bought an ice cream shop in Cedar Crest and turned it into Burger Boy-a quirky, beloved institution that served up not just some of New Mexico's best green chile cheeseburgers, but a sense of community. Burger Boy was a true labor of love. Kathleen and Bill poured themselves into the business-cooking, chatting with customers, and never turning away anyone who couldn't pay. The restaurant's walls told the story: governors, rodeo clowns, first responders, and neighbors of all kinds proudly displayed in snapshots alongside a mural of "Green Chile Bill." Their partnership was a love story in every sense-one built on mutual respect, shared purpose, and deep affection. 

When Bill passed away from cancer in 2001, Kathleen kept his spirit alive through Burger Boy and her service to the East Mountain community. Together with her daughter Barbara, who left a successful nursing career to care for her mother and run the restaurant, Kathleen made sure Burger Boy remained a warm and welcoming place for everyone. Their efforts were recognized by KOB-TV's Pay It Forward, and during wildfires and hardship, they stepped up to feed firefighters and neighbors alike. In May 2023, after more than 40 years, Kathleen and Barbara sold the Burger Boy to grandsons, Eric and Ryne Walz-fulfilling Kathleen's wish to keep the restaurant in the family. Even then, in her nineties, she was reluctant to slow down, always worried people might think she was slacking off. In her final months, Kathleen loved nothing more than sitting on her porch in Cedar Crest, chatting away as birds flitted to the feeder and the fountain gurgled in the background. She often said, "I have been blessed." And so were all who knew her.

Kathleen is survived by four of her five children:

• Kenton Walz, a journalist and attorney, former editor of the Albuquerque Journal, and his wife, Terri Cole of Albuquerque.

• Jerry Walz, a trial attorney and author also of Albuquerque who has argued more than 50 cases in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.

• Barbara Johnstad, a certified legal nurse consultant who cared for Kathleen through her final years, of Albuquerque.

• Daniel Walz, MBA and former insurance and financial planning professional, and his wife, Rita Walz, also of Albuquerque.

She was preceded in death by her beloved daughter, Martha Jane Walz Reid, a decorated nurse and heart transplant specialist. Kathleen spoke of her often and tenderly as "my Martha." 

She is also survived by 15 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-grandchildren: • Russell Walz (Tulsa, OK) and daughters, Cailyn and Jeri • Cara Drake (Edmond, OK) and sons, Jackson and Barrett

• Kellie Walz-James (Tulsa, OK), children, Austin and Laura, and granddaughter, Ella

• Devon Walz (Denver, CO) and daughter, Charlotte • Eric Walz and wife, Emily (Salt Lake City, UT) • Ryne Walz and fiancée, Madison Barker (Westminster, CO) • MacKenzie Walz, Kathleen Walz, Jerry Walz Jr., and Jackson Walz (Albuquerque, NM) • Christopher Johnstad (Albuquerque, NM); and nephews, Logan, Jared, and Tyson (Phoenix, AZ)

• Brandon Walz and Jordan Walz (Albuquerque, NM) • Jeremy Reid, daughter Saphira, and James Reid (Albuquerque, NM).

Kathleen's deep Catholic faith brought her strength in times of hardship, especially after losing Bill. She found great comfort in Father John Carney's friendship and spiritual guidance. She was cherished by local sheriff's deputies, EMTs, and firefighters--many of whom she fed, hugged, and cared for like family. Kathleen was also a talented, self-taught pianist who played entirely by ear. Her favorite songs-Back Home Again in Indiana, Sweet Georgia Brown, and You'll Never Walk Alone-will echo in the memories of those who loved her. Hers was a life of fierce devotion, unshakable faith, quiet generosity, and deep love.

A rosary will be held Friday, April 25, 2025, 9:00 a.m., at FRENCH - Wyoming, followed by a liturgical service at 9:30 a.m., and a reception.

Kathleen always said she was blessed. In truth, the blessing was ours.