Michael Thomas Cullen died peacefully, surrounded by his family, Friday 19 May 2017 after a brief illness.
Born August 16, 1918 and raised in Dentaybow Township, Little Fork, Minnesota by Irish immigrants, John & Bridget Cullen, Mike was the 8th of 9 children. He grew up in a log cabin and graduated from the Little Fork High School, and earned his BS from the University of Minnesota in Agricultural Education in 1942. He returned to the University of Minnesota and earned his MS degree in Vocational Agricultural Education in 1955. He also completed a Bush Foundation Fellowship, and three US Department of Education scholarships at Rutgers, Ohio State, and the University of Colorado.
On August 21,1944 he married Helen Leintz, who worked at St. Ceclia’s Hospital in Harvey North Dakota. Their first son, Michael Thomas, Jr., was born in 1946. They lived in Harvey until July 1946, and moved to Ortonville, Minnesota, where Mike served as Big Stone County Agent.
In 1948 Mike and Helen moved to Willmar, MN where he served as head of the Willmar High School Agriculture Department, advisor to the Willmar Future Farmers of America (FFA) and Veterans Agriculture supervisor, taking teams to multiple championships in dairy, crop judging and parliamentary procedure. In 1961 Mike joined the newly created Willmar Technical Institute as SW Minnesota Agriculture Education Coordinator, and become Director of the Willmar Technical Institute in 1955, until his retirement in 1983. He was inducted into the Minnesota FFA Hall of Fame at the University of Minnesota in 2009.
Mike was active in volunteer service to the Church of St. Mary in Willmar, as President of the Parish Council, Trustee of the Church, member of the finance council and the church building committee. He earned the Bishop’s Medal of Honor for Service from the New Ulm diocese in 1993. He was Grand Knight, and Knight of the Year as a 4th degree Knight of Columbus.
In community service, he was recognized by WCCO radio as a Good Neighbor, was President, Board Member and District Lt. Governor of the SW Minnesota Kiwanis Club. He served as President and Board member of the Willmar Municipal Utilities, a member of the SW MN Regional Private Industry Council. The Willmar Jaycees awarded Mike the Outstanding Citizen’s Award in 1976.
Mike was President of the Willmar Education Association, the MN State Agriculture Teachers Association, the Minnesota State Vocational Directors Association, and received the Frank Kalin Award for State Leadership in Vocational Education.
Mike has been exemplary in his dedication to Helen, with nearly 70 years of marriage, and caring for Helen during her 16 years with Alzheimer’s disease.
A loving family man, confirmed Irishman and woodworking hobbyist, Mike was preceded in death by his wife, Helen, and is survived by his children, Michael Thomas (Suzanne) Cullen Jr., Sanibel, FL, Mary Helen (Ric) Zillmann of Maple Lake, MN, Patricia Anne (Gregg) Lundquist of Leawood, KS, John Donald (Joe Gibbons) Cullen of Minneapolis, MN, and his grandchildren Christopher Cullen of Aliso Viejo, CA, Robert Lundquist (Lesli) of Lenexa, KS, Mary Fran Cullen (Joseph) Park of Denver, CO, Amy Cullen of Chanhassen, MN, Jon Christopher (Jen) Lundquist of Prairie Village, KS, Shannon (Andy) Strom of Maple Plain, MN, Erin (Jason) Gunelson of Eden Prairie, MN, and Patrick Welch of Minneapolis, MN. He is also survived by his 11 great-grandchildren: Alexandria and Addison Lundquist, Cullen and Brecken Park, Reilly Cullen, Eliza and Jack Lundquist, Oliver and William Strom, and Lillian and Katelyn Gunelson.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Fr. Jim Barry Wednesday 24 May 2017, at the St. Vincent de Paul Church, 9100 93rd Avenue North, Brooklyn Park, MN 55445, with visitation at 10:00 am, mass at 11:00 am and lunch following the service at the church. Internment of ashes will be at the Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis after lunch. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Interim Healthcare, 2680 Arthur Street, Roseville, MN 55113.