William "Bill" Cullen
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William V. "Bill" Cullen, age 86 of The Villages, FL formerly of Darlington, WI passed away unexpectedly on Monday, August 16, 2021 at Ray and Kay Eckstein Hospice Care Center in Paducah, KY, with his family at his side. He was born on June 15, 1935 in Dubuque, IA the son of Clarence and Adeline (Leibold) Cullen. Bill grew up on a farm in East Dubuque, IL and graduated from Loras Academy in Dubuque, IA. Following high school, Bill enlisted in the United States Army. After being honorably discharged, Bill moved back to the home farm where he worked at Carr Adams Factory in Dubuque, IA and then the Ford dealership in Cuba City, WI. He later moved to Darlington, WI where he started his own automotive service station, Cullen's DX, with his brother Dan. On May 6, 1961, Bill married the love of his life, Elizabeth "Betty" Timmerman at Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Dickeyville, WI. Together they raised their family in Darlington. He retired from Cullen's 76 service station after 39 years. In 2003, Bill and Betty bought a home in The Villages, FL where they had resided since.
Bill is survived by his wife Betty; three children: Beth (Mark) Tessar of Waukesha, WI, Todd (Michelle) Cullen of Green Bay, WI, and Troy (Carey) Cullen of Appleton, WI; his grandchildren: Nathan (fianc?: Migena Guhacaj) Tessar, Abby Tessar, Haley Cullen, Cole Cullen, Olivia Cullen, Paige Cullen, and Aaron Cullen; one brother: Gerald (Pat) Cullen of Platteville, WI; and two sisters: Margaret "Peggy" Dalsing of Dubuque, IA and Mickey (James) Reilly of Shullsburg, WI. He was preceded in death by his parents; 4 brothers; and 4 sisters; and many other relatives and friends.
Bill was a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Darlington and its Knights of Columbus and was a member of St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church in The Villages, FL. In his free time, Bill loved golfing and was also a member of the Darlington Country Club. He also enjoyed traveling with his wife throughout the United States and internationally. Bill was also an avid Chicago Cubs fans which included family trips to Wrigley Field from his childhood until his passing. He cherished the time he spent with his family creating many memories they will all cherish forever.
A memorial mass will be held Saturday, August 21, 2021 at 11:00 A.M. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church (104 E. Harriet St., Darlington) with Rev. Luke Syse officiating. A visitation will be held Saturday, August 21, 2021 from 9:00 A.M. until 10:45 A.M. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church. The Erickson Funeral Home in Darlington is serving the family. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.ericksonfuneralhome.com.
For those who prefer, a memorial fund has been established in Bill's name.