Final Cadence

Michael Edward Beach ’05 of Vassalboro, ME, died on October 21, 2013. He was 30. Beach was a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, and studied physical therapy. He is survived by his parents, Cindy and Howard Beach; and his brother Todd.

Brett Adrien Beaudette ’88 of Corona, CA, died on September 27. He was 54. Beaudette was a guitarist with the Andy Gooch Band. He is survived by his father, Adrien; stepmother, Gail Allo; son, Chad; daughter, Chandler Ann; and three siblings.

Arthur W. Benson Jr. ’66 of Manchester, CT, died on November 9. He was 70. Benson ran Dynamic Percussion in Manchester, and received the NAMM Outstanding Achievement Award for 25 years of service. He is survived by his wife, Heidi; daughter, Amy; stepchildren Franz and Shelley; and sister Joan.

Dwayne Burno ’91 of Brooklyn, NY, died of kidney disease on December 28. He was 43. Born into a musical family, Burno began playing bass at 16 and entered Berklee two years later. He later became an A-list jazz player in New York, and played on some 50 albums. He performed with Betty Carter, Freddie Hubbard, Chucho Valdés, Roy Haynes, Dr. John, and others. He also led his own quintet and performed until days before his passing. He leaves his wife Wendy, and son Quinn. Donations to his family can be made online at www.jazzfoundation.org/memory_honor.

Douglas C. Cusano ’76 of Clifton Park, NY, died on November 28. He was 59. A bassist and vocalist, Cusano ran Step-Up Gallery in Schenectady, NY, and worked in the floor covering industry. Cusano is survived by his wife, Patricia; parents, Dominic and Patricia; siblings, Dennis and Diane; and children, Douglas, Cara, and Cristina.

Michael Gallant ’83 of Rensselaer, NY, died on November 28. He was 51. For 10 years he was the general manager of Millbrook Millwork in Nassau, NY. Also an entrepreneur, he founded Gallant Design. He leaves his parents; his daughter, Lara; and sister, Jennifer.

Rick Haseltine ’71 of Bangor, ME, died on November 30 after an accident. He was 64. Haseltine was a guitarist and popular local performer and a private instructor for Northern Kingdom Music in Bangor. He is survived by his wife, Cyndi Simpson; mother, Virginia; and brother, Scott.

Kevin E. Lackey ’86 of Plainville, CT, died on November 21. He was 54. He was a guitarist, bassist, and sound technician for several bands. Lackey leaves his mother, Elizabeth; and sisters, Maureen and Karen.

Ray Nash ’75 of Marblehead, MA, died on October 17. He was 57. After attending Berklee, Nash became a piano technician with M. Steinert & Sons at Symphony Hall. He was also a master electrician. Nash is survived by his wife, Nancy; and daughter, Christina.

Kimberly Warman Rushing ’80 of Seattle, WA, died on October 19. She was 56. Rushing was a vocal instructor and a jazz performer with Jon Hendricks and Seattle-area groups, and held a master’s degree in counseling. She is survived by her husband, Robert; daughter, Sylvie; her parents, and seven siblings.

Bob Sikorski ’86 of Titusville, FL, died on November 25 after an accident. He was 52. Sikorski was a civil engineer and a guitarist and pianist. He is survived by his wife, Kristen; sons James and Nicholas; his mother, Irene; and three siblings.

Jonathan Andrew Young ’06 of New York City died on October 25. He was 27. Young was a makeup artist for the Margaret Maldonado Agency in New York, working with film and television stars and fashion models. Young is survived by his parents and his sister.