Obituary of Theresa Bushman

BUSHMAN, Theresa “Tret” age 96 of Wyckoff, went peacefully home to be with her Lord, surrounded by her family on Wednesday, November 16, 2016. Tret was born and raised in Little Falls and was a resident of Wyckoff for the past 62 years. Tret graduated in 1938 from Eastern Academy. She entered Paterson General Hospital School of Nursing and graduated from there in 1941. In 1944, Tret became the nursing supervisor of obstetrics and newborns at Paterson General Hospital and also taught in its nursing school. While employed full time, Tret enrolled in New York University in 1956 to earn her BS in Education and her MA in Education and Administration. It was in 1960 that Tret was named Director of Nursing at the Christian Sanatorium, and continued in her position there as this facility transitioned into the Christian Health Care Center in 1974. She was committed to and worked tirelessly to upgrade and modernize the standards of care at the CHCC. Tret stayed on as Director of Nursing up until her retirement in 1986. Tret was also very instrumental in starting the Eastern Christian Children’s Retreat, a long term care facility located in Wyckoff, for children with special needs. It was her deep faith in God, her enthusiasm and her unselfish desire to serve newborns and children with special needs that set her on a mission to create a new facility with high standards of care and educational opportunities. She won the support of doctors and many in the surrounding communities in order to build this home for special children. In May of 2001, the Bushman Building at the Eastern Christian Children’s Retreat was named in her honor. In 1976, Tret was appointed to serve on the Wyckoff Board of Health. This was an opportunity she took on with much enthusiasm and used her talents and expertise to improve the health and welfare of all Wyckoff residents, especially the senior citizens. In recognition of Miss Theresa “Tret” Bushman’s seven decades of unselfish service, the Township of Wyckoff named her an Emeritus Member of the Wyckoff Board of Health, an honor never before bestowed. In other service to the community, Tret helped to establish the Florence Christian Home, a home for unwed mothers now located in Wayne, NJ, assisted the Wyckoff Board of Health in the organization of the Wyckoff Meals on Wheels, volunteered for Parents with a Purpose, established Sunday school classes at the CHCC and in 1995 was named “Woman of the Year” by the Wyckoff Family YMCA. Surviving is her loving sister Jean Zuidema and many devoted nieces and nephews. Tret was pre-deceased by her sister Nellie Miller in 2010 and her brother William Bushman in 1996. The Bushman family will receive friends on Tuesday, November 22, from 2:00 until 6:00 PM at the Vander Plaat Funeral Home (www.vpfh.com), 257 Godwin Avenue, Wyckoff. A memorial service will be held Wednesday 11:00 AM at the Cedar Hill Christian Reformed Church, 422 Cedar Hill Avenue, Wyckoff. A private interment service will be held in the Laurel Grove Memorial Park in Totowa. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions in Tret’s name may be made to the Eastern Christian Children’s Retreat, 700 Mountain Avenue, Wyckoff, NJ or the Christian Health Care Center, 301 Sicomac Avenue, Wyckoff, NJ.