Thomas Patrick Cullen entered into the gates of heaven on Saturday, August 13, 2022. Tom was born in New York City in 1935, to Bridget and James Cullen, who had immigrated from Scotland and Ireland respectively.
Tom was married to the love of his life, the late Eileen on May 16th, 1959. He was graduated from Manhattan College, New York University and the New School for Social Research with a bachelor’s and two master’s degrees. In addition to his studies and career, Tom spent years lecturing on labor relations, human resources and pension planning. He was a regular lecturer at Northeastern, Cornell and West Point during those years. His career in Human Resources spanned over thirty years with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the Port Authority Trans Hudson.
Tom was a loving husband to his late wife Eileen, a loving father to Tom and Jaime, an adoring grandfather to his grandchildren and a true friend to those who knew him.
He was a member of the Knights of Columbus for over 60 years and he was deeply involved in efforts to feed the less fortunate through local food banks. Tom was an active member of many fishing clubs in New Jersey and Florida. He was also very active in his community at Bradford Square. Tom was also a patron of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
His passions were his family, fishing, telling a good joke, dancing, fly tying and carving custom fishing lures.
He was predeceased by his wife, Eileen and his parents Bridget and James Cullen.
Surviving are his son, Thomas P. Cullen, Jr. (and Christina Patton), his daughter Jaime Cullen-Ryan, his daughter in law, Donna Cullen and his loving friend, Donna Owen. Also left behind to mourn his loss are his five adoring grandchildren, Caitlyn Cullen, Thomas Cullen lll, Courtney Ryan, Paige Ryan and Christine Ryan.
In Tom’s honor, we ask that you “Teach a man to fish” or pay it forward with an act of kindness.
A funeral Mass will take place this Friday, August 19th at 10:00 at Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church 625 111th Avenue North, Naples, Florida. Inurnment to follow the Mass in the Memorial Gardens of the Church. The Mass will be live streamed through the parish website (see link on service tab).