Owen James “Jim” Cullivan Jr., 103, of Paris, passed away Tuesday, September 17, 2024, at Henry Co. Medical Center.
His funeral service will be at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, September 21st, at McEvoy Funeral Home, with Gary Collier and Rev. Joy Weathersbee of First United Methodist Church, where he was a member most of his life, officiating. Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, before the service. Per his wishes, his body will be cremated after the funeral service, and his cremated remains will be buried in Johnson’s Chapel Cemetery.
Owen James Cullivan Jr. was born June 10, 1921, in Paris, TN to the late Owen James Cullivan Sr., and the late Hattie Beasley Cullivan.
Jim graduated from Grove H.S. and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in health and physical education from Murray State University in Murray, Ky. This is where he met Billie Gene Cantrell whom he married on June 1, 1950, and they enjoyed 64 years of marriage together. Billie preceded him in death on February 8, 2014.
Jim continued his education by attending the University of Indiana working beyond his master’s. As a means of contributing to the household income while at the University of Indiana, he served as the fencing coach. He was also a Veteran who served in the U.S. Army during World War II.
Mr. Cullivan retired after a 40-year career coaching football and teaching. His beginnings in football started at Grove H.S. where he was a member of the very successful team of 1939. After his time spent in the military, he returned to play football at Murray State. He had a good four years there as an offensive guard. His playing career culminated when after his senior season he played in the 1949 Tangerine Bowl. As a coach, his career began in 1949 at Fulton H.S. in Fulton, KY. He then returned to Murray State as a coach with his last four seasons, 1956-1959 as head coach. Other schools he coached at the college level include Tennessee, Wesleyan, Gilford College, Appalachian State University, and Eastern Kentucky State University. At the High School level, he coached at various schools including his alma mater Grove H.S., and as the first coach at Henry County H.S., and concluded his career with nine years at Cawood H.S. in Harlan, KY, where he was voted Kentucky’s triple-A co-coach of the year in 1985.
In addition to coaching, Mr. Cullivan was a cattle rancher. He began in 1967 maintaining a herd of purebred registered Charolais beef cattle and was a co-founder of the Tennessee State Charolais Beef Cattlemen’s Association.
As a hobby, he enjoyed applying his wit to life’s everyday situations. Those who knew him well were aware that he was never without a quirky one-liner response to any inquiry made. His experience in life and sports coupled with his wit resulted in his serving as a speaker for banquets and various social functions throughout his career.
Mr. Cullivan is survived by two sons: Owen James Cullivan, III of Dover, TN, and Robert Patrick (Lydia) Cullivan of Lumberton, NC; a daughter: Lynda Griffith of Dresden, TN; grandson: Rea Cullivan of Boone, NC; two granddaughters: Gwen Delahite of Horn Lake, MS, and Phyllis Griffith of Paris; two great-grandsons: Marcus Ford of Memphis, TN, and Andy Ford of Paris, TN; two great-great-grandsons; his remaining brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law and a host of nephews and nieces.