John Cullen

Hingham, Mass. - John B. Cullen Sr., 86, a retired corporate executive and Hingham resident for 55 years, died Nov. 7, 2007 at his home.

Husband of the late Hilda (Feldman) Cullen, his beloved wife of 48 years, Mr. Cullen is survived by his four children, Kathleen Cullen of Annapolis, Md., John B. Cullen Jr. and his wife, Judith, of Nantasket, Mass., Barbara Cullen Goodman and her husband, Russell, of Hingham, Mass., and Carol Cullen of Brockton, Mass.; four grandchildren, Jessie Lee Cullen, Devin Cullen Janey, Luke Cullen Goodman, and Keir Cullen Janey; a sister, Mary Cullen Yuhas Anger, of East Lyme; and five nephews and a niece, Sgt. Laurence E. Yuhas, Jr., USMC, Anita Yuhas, Gregory Yuhas, Timothy Yuhas, Joseph Cullen, Jr. and Steven Cullen.

Born in New London on Sept. 16, 1921, Mr. Cullen was the son of the late Julia (Cray) Cullen and Bernard Valentine Cullen and the brother of the late Joseph Cray Cullen. He attended St. Mary's School in New London and graduated from Bulkeley High School for Boys in 1940.

Enlisting in the Army Air Force in 1942 as an aviation cadet, Mr. Cullen served as a cryptographer in the European Theatre of Operations as a member of the 311th Signal Aviation Company attached to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces, attended Oxford University's cryptography school to learn British code and cyphers systems, and served at various Command Headquarters as a cryptographer until 1945 when he was honorably discharged after receiving multiple service decorations including a Presidential Unit citation.

Mr. Cullen received a bachelor of science in business administration from Boston University in 1952 and was member of Theta Kappa Phi fraternity and the Accounting Society of Boston University. He then embarked on a 50 year corporate career most of which was spent with Brigham's Inc. and Boston Filter Company as vice president and controller. After retiring from Boston Filter he then, while in semi-retirement, was controller of Nickerson Machinery Company in Norwell and later went with Web Engineering Associates in Hingham as their chief financial officer.

An avid sportsman and lifelong fan of Notre Dame football, Mr. Cullen donated sports memorabilia to Notre Dame University's Athletic Department in South Bend, Ind., the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, N.Y., and counted 1936 Heisman Trophy winner Larry Kelly of Yale among his circle of friends.

A member of the Notre Dame Club of Boston, a charter member of the Hingham V.F.W. Post No. 6053, Mr. Cullen was also a lifelong member and past president of the Hingham Lions Club, coached Little League baseball and was a member of the 350th Hingham Anniversary Committee.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend the funeral from the Pyne Keohane Funeral Home, 21 Emerald St. (off Central St.), Hingham, Saturday at 9 a.m. The Funeral Mass will be held in Saint Paul's Church, Hingham, at 10 a.m. Visiting hours are Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. Burial will be in Saint Paul's Cemetery, Hingham.

Donations in memory of Mr. Cullen may be made to Hingham Elder Services, 224 Central St., Hingham, MA 02043. Call 1-800-Keohane or see www.Keohane.com for directions and online condolences.