Joseph Cullen
courtesy photo
Joseph Cullen
AMARILLO, TEXAS — Joseph Elden Cullen peacefully passed away on February 12, 2024, in Amarillo, Texas. He was born on Feb. 24, 1940, to Laurence ‘Tut’ and Edna Cullen in Ronan. He graduated from high school in 1958 and married Linda Heppner in Polson on Aug. 26, 1961. After high school, Joe joined the Army Reserves, attended college and Physical Therapy (PT) School. Joe worked for and managed the PT departments in hospitals in Billings, Montana; Ottumwa, Iowa; Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; Colorado Springs and Pueblo, Colorado; and Helena, Montana where he opened a PT private practice. His final hospital practice took him to Olney, Texas. Finishing his career, he provided PT home health in the Wichita Falls, Texas, area.
Joe obtained his ministerial lay pastor license through the Disciples of Christ Church and began to lead congregations in Olney and Archer City, Texas. Joe gave his life to Christ as a young dad, and he spent many hours learning and leading others in the way of the Lord the best way he knew. Joe never lost the hope of God’s promise of abundant and eternal life with Jesus for his life, family, and friends.
Joe’s love of singing Barbershop music, fishing, camping, downhill skiing and travel were things he enjoyed. Graduations, weddings, births, holidays, and family events were other reasons for travel. As he ripened with age, Joe longed for the roots of his childhood home. His last visit to Montana was in 2021.
Joe’s greatest challenge came in the 2000’s with the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease for Linda. Until her death in 2010, he remained faithful to her needs. Joe was blessed to find another to love and live with in his remaining years. LaDonna Mincey and Joe married on June 25, 2011. They travelled, enjoyed sports and their families’ events. Even as his mobility began to decline, LaDonna was a supportive caregiver in the journey of his failing health. They found joy in the simple things and hers was the last face he saw on this earth in Amarillo, Texas, where they had lived since 2018.
Joe Cullen is survived by his wife, LaDonna Mincey Cullen; sisters, Virginia Cullen Miller and Carol Cullen Bryant; brothers-in-law, Danny (Sue) Heppner and Floyd Parkey; sisters-in-law, Cathy (Gene) Jarvis and Tanna Avenius; children, Jodie (Steve) Cullen White, Laurie (Chelle Draper) Cullen, Tamara Cullen, Shawn (Rebecca) Cullen; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews and their families by blood and by marriage.
His remains will be buried in Ronan Cemetery on July 3, 2024, at 11 a.m. The public is invited to attend.
