STEPHEN GENE CULLEN, SR.

Stephen Gene Cullen, Sr., 92, of Panama City, Florida joined his heavenly father on August 30, 2012. He was born on May 11, 1920 in Monessen, Pennsylvania to Valentine Krlin and Barbara Dolson from Croatia. His parents Americanized their last name to Cullen upon moving to the United States. He was preceded in death by his parents, his son First Lieutenant Kenneth Arthur Cullen, two brothers, Frank Cullen and Val Cullen, and three sisters, Mildred Cullen, Barbara Cullen, and Louise Kortina.

Steve was a Staff Sergeant in the United States Air Force stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City from 1941-1945. In the early 1950s he had a local radio program, The Country Gentleman, on WDLP. He founded Cullen Insurance Agency in 1951 and was a licensed Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow (LUTCF). He was an avid golfer at Panama Country Club and many other local golf courses, a member of the Military Affairs Committee as well as the Bay County Chamber of Commerce. Steve was an active member of First Baptist Church in Panama City and a member of the LLL Sunday school class. In his goals for 2012, Steve wrote of his commitment to reading the Bible, allowing the Word of God to be a true reflection in his life, and to fully trust in his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Steve was a friend to all those he met. He leaves to cherish his memory enumerable friends and family, including his wife Helen Stephens Cullen, one brother Nick Cullen of Monessen, Pennsylvania, two sons Stephen G. (Jock) Cullen, Jr. (Margie) and Francis Valentine Cullen (Jennifer) of Panama City, and one daughter Susan Cullen Franklin (Aubra) of San Antonio, TX. He is also survived by nine grandchildren: Carol Leigh McGuffin (Tim), Paige Cullen Pullen (Todd), Kenneth Arthur Cullen, II (Celina), Michelle Cullen (Tim Dees), Paul Cullen (Heather), Brittany, Brianna, Brett, and Brooke Franklin; and eight great grandchildren Lauren McGuffin Fielding (John), Taylor and Bowen McGuffin, Brody, Garrett, and Danielle Cullen, Kaylyn Cullen, and Gabriel Pullen.

Funeral services will be held on Sunday, September 2, 2012 at 3:00 p.m. in the Wilson Funeral Home Chapel. The family will receive friends at the funeral home prior to the service at 2:00. A graveside service will be held at Greenwood Cemetery following the service. His pallbearers will be his grandsons Kenny Cullen, Paul Cullen, and Brett Franklin, and great grandsons Taylor and Bowen McGuffin, and Brody Cullen. Honorary pallbearers include his two youngest great grandchildren, Garrett Cullen and Gabriel Pullen, and his lifetime friends, Earl Cochran and Sonny Meyers.

Wilson Funeral Home