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William M. "Bill Cullity
William M. Cullity, passed peacefully away February 21, after a long
battle with Alzheimer's. "Bill" was another member of America's greatest
generation. He was born September 13, 1925, in Boston, MA, to Mortimer
Cullity, a policeman and Mary O'Rourke an Irish immigrant. As a teenager,
Bill joined the Navy when WWII broke out, assigned to the U.S.S. DeHaven
DD-469, the last U.S. Destroyer sunk in the battle of Guadalcanal. Bill,
along with others, saved the lives of dozens of shipmates by putting them
on rafts and towing them to a nearby island.
After the war, Bill married Jeanne Angelina De Stefano. Many times Bill
referred to Jean as his "Rock", he loved and admired to the end. Together
they had four children.
When the Korean War started Bill volunteered for overseas duty and
earned several awards including the Bronze Navy and Marine Corp
Commendation Ribbon. Returning home after the war, Bill volunteered for
the 4th Antarctic Expedition with the Navy. While stationed at the South
Pole, Bill received a medal for heroism for rowing a 13 foot plywood
skiff, towing a rope out in heavy, icy waters to save a crippled ship that
had torn loose from its moorings. Later in his Navy career, just before
his retirement in 1966, Bill was chosen as one of the candidates for a new
pentagon position, "Chief of the Navy."
Bill finished his naval career with 2 tours of duty in Vietnam, as
Chief Master at Arms on the U.S. Carrier Kitty Hawk. Bill met Walt Disney
about this time and Walt hired him as Asst. Fire Chief of Disneyland. Walt
later reassigned him to set-up and established the Fire Safety Division of
Disney World. Bill was the first Fire Chief there, now known as the Reedy
Creek Fire Dept. Bill enjoyed two full lifetime careers and distinguished
himself in both worlds, but he always described himself as "Just a
Sailor." A rare man he was, hard worker, honest to a fault, unbending
integrity and will, loving husband and father, fierce family man. He was
as he described those he admired "A Straight Arrow."
Bill is survived by his wife Jean, his children Marie, Robert, Janice
and Joan, his grandchildren Michael, Seer, Abram, and Lindsey, his brother
Jerry and sister Marianna. Dad, we are all blessed to have known you and
loved by you. Keep things "shipshape" for us in heaven. A Memorial Mass
will be held at 11AM, Monday, February 27, 2006 at Holy Redeemer Catholic
Church with Rev. Fr. John McCormick and Rev. Fr. Robert Mitchell,
officiating. Inurnment will be at 11AM, Tuesday, February 28, 2006 in
Woodlawn Memorial Park with Full Military Honors. In lieu of flowers,
donations can be sent to Cornerstone Hospice in Kissimmee, FL or St.
Jude's Children's Hospital in Memphis, TN.
Comments from Ralph Corley Bill and I were shipmates and
survivors of our first ship USS DeHaven DD469. Some 50 yrs later we met
again and, with our wives, have enjoyed several visits together. Bill was
a classic US Navy man. It was our privilege to know him and to be
considered friends of Bill and Jean.
Ralph and Dolores Corley
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