Robert Emerson Cull

Robert Emerson “Bob” Cull departed this life on Sunday, October 3, 2021, at the age of 83. While he would have preferred to stick around a while longer, he often acknowledged that he had lived a good bit longer than he ever anticipated. He was always grateful for the extra time that allowed him to enjoy his growing family as his children and grandchildren embarked on the next cycle of life. Memorial Service: 3 p.m. Thursday, October 14, at Wade Family Funeral Home, 4140 W. Pioneer Parkway, Arlington. Memorials: In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Tarrant County Food Bank, https://tafb.org/donate/ Of all the human maladies and shortages, none bothered Bob more than the thought of being hungry, particularly without being sure when or how that would be resolved. He and his wife of 55 years, Jane, gave somewhat regularly to the Tarrant County Food Bank and supported a variety of meal programs aimed at children. They frequently added a bag of groceries to their tab when checking out at various grocery stores. In lieu of flowers or other acknowledgment, he would want friends and acquaintances to donate to their favorite local source of food for those in need. He likened his approach to life to the kindred spirit of a Muppet character named Grover. In episode after episode of Sesame Street, the little blue guy would involve himself in all manner of situations and causes (some more worthy than others). Driven by good intent and a pure heart, often everything would come crashing down around him in the end. Undeterred, he would dust himself off and charge off to the next opportunity for action, and always with a positive countenance. He also loved the story of “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” and the movie “Groundhog Day”, both of which depicted the continual growth in character, values and behavior if given the chance to start over time and again while the rest of the earth stood still. Except for the standing still part, he understood that the opportunity is there for all of us throughout our lives. He always hoped to have improved in both quality and quantity over the years. In those moments when he was careless enough to pass judgment on others, he would pose the question to himself, “Just who the h--- do you think you are?” or “There but for the grace of God go I”. The answer to either would make short work of any negative assessments of other's behavior. He laughed a lot and loved a good joke. Friends observed that he may have had the largest inventory of humorous stories and jokes on the planet and he shared them often, even in mixed company. And he spared no one, including himself, when relating humorous stories about human foibles and frailties. Having been born in what the natives call Frederick, Oklahoma, America, on January 25, 1938, he grew up in the context of small town America. It was safe and serene, and instilled the values of hard work and personal responsibility in its natives. His family roots ran deep into the community, with one set of grandparents still living there throughout his childhood. His mother and father were Robert Oscar and Lura Elizabeth Cull, and he had one sister, Carol Elizabeth Tilley. After having served as Editor and General Manager of The Frederick Daily Leader for a number of years, he returned to college at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Oklahoma. His subsequent marriage to Susan Jane Hicks resulted in the couple moving to Denver, Colorado. He returned to the University of Colorado in Boulder to complete a BS and MBA prior to starting his business career with Xerox Corporation in Dallas, Texas. His subsequent professional career was developed primarily in managerial and executive roles with several organizations, with the last 20 years or so spent primarily in the healthcare field. Over the years, the Cull family grew to have three children and seven grandchildren. Jeffrey Lee and his wife Lezley have three sons, Riley, Casey and Brady. Their daughter, Amy Elizabeth Bilbo and her husband James have a son, Jordan and a daughter Courtney. Their youngest son, William Spencer and his wife Jennifer have daughters Peyton and Presley. All of their children and grandchildren live in the DFW area. After having raised their family in Arlington, the couple moved to Mansfield. In this life, he aspired to achieve and maintain a rather constant state in three areas: gratefulness, forgiveness and humility. He was grateful for this life with this family in the greatest country on earth. He believed that the act of forgiving was a bigger blessing to those who forgave. And, finally, he accepted failure without complaint or casting blame while recognizing that success is unattainable without the help and support of others. If there is such a word as “humanness”, he used it often to describe the range of personal qualities (positive and negative) we each possess. Recognizing the imperfect nature of our irrevocable condition, his last words to his family were “Don't be too hard on yourselves . . . you're all you've got. Don't be too hard on your loved ones and fellow travelers . . . they're all you'll get”. This obituary was prepared by the deceased in the hope that it would provide insight into who he was rather than what he did while navigating “the valley of the shadow of death”. He wishes the best for all who remain. Wade Family Funeral Home (817) 274-9233