George Bernard Cullins

Services: There will be a Mass of Christian Burial celebrated on Wednesday April 25, 2007 at 10:00 AM in Holy Angels Catholic Church, Avenue, MD. Interment will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery Bushwood, MD. Visitation: Visitaion will be held on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 from 5:00PM until 8:00PM in the funeral home chapel with prayers to be recited at 7:00PM George Bernard Cullins, Sr., 95, of Coltons Point, MD died April 21, 2007 in St. Mary's Nursing Center, Leonardtown, MD. Born February 23, 1912, he was the son of the late George Henry "Gummy" and Martha Belle Deane Cullins. He was the husband of the late Agnes Elizabeth Nelson Cullins, whom he married on February 23, 1941 in St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Morganza, MD. She preceded him in death on January 27, 1997. He has one son, George Bernard Cullins, Jr., a daughter in-law Rita Alvey Cullins of Bushwood, MD, two grandchildren Glenn Cullins and his fiance' Valerie Ryan of Mechanicsville, MD and Tracey Cullins Jubeck and her husband Todd Jubeck of Leonardtown, MD, five great grandchildren Lara Barreros, Mackenzie Loewe, Ty and Elle Jubeck and Danny Ryan, one brother Andrew Cullins of Arlington, VA. Preceding him in death were three brothers Wilbur Cullins, Joseph Cullins, and John "Jack" Cullins and one sister Alice Guy. He was a member of Holy Angels Catholic Church, Avenue, MD all his life except four years serving in the U.S. Navy where he was a three sport standout in boxing, football and softball. He attended River Spring's and Holy Angels elementary schools, River Spring's High School and graduated from Margaret Brent High School in 1932 as president of the schools first senior class. During his working years he was a clerk at the IGA store in Leonardtown, MD, insurance agent with People's Life Insurance Co. of Washington, DC and Home Beneficial Life Insurance, Richmond, VA, a rural mail carrier contractor and a salesman with Frederick P. Winner Liquor Co., Baltimore, MD. He worked with newspapers for 55 years, serving as sports editor for the St. Mary's Beacon from 1941 â?? 1956 as a business manager and sports editor with St. Mary's Journal 1957 â?? 1959. In 1960 he and his wife founded The Pilot, an all sports publication, the first of its kind in the State of Maryland and ran it successfully for 26 years, closing down the press and retiring in 1986. He was a sports person all his life and was considered one of the county's best all around athletes. He had the honor of not losing a single event in track and field during his 12 year school career and held county records in six different events. His favorite event was the 440 yd. dash which he won four straight years in high school, breaking the county record in his sophomore year and broke his own county record in his junior and senior years. He was also an outstanding player on the soccer and baseball teams. He organized the St. Mary's County Catholic Baseball League in 1943 and served as its first president and managed the Holy Angels team during the league's maiden season. In 1947 he organized the St. Mary's County Girls Fastpitch Softball League and managed the Holy Angels CYO team to three straight league championships, compiling a record of 51 straight victories. In 1950 he organized the Holy Angels CYO girls basketball team and was its coach for seven years, winning the So. MD. CYO Championship each year, plus three straight Maryland Invitational Classic titles and the National Sisters of Charity Invitational Championship in 1956 held at Georgetown University's McDonough Gym in Washington, DC. In his seven years as the team's coach, the team went 72 games without a defeat after losing it's first game for a 72-1 record. In 1957 he became the girls basketball coach at St. Mary's Academy in Leonardtown, MD compiling a record of 89-10 over six years winning six straight So. MD. Catholic High School championships, five straight St. Mary's County titles and two Tri-State Invitational private school championships. He also coached boxing at Holy Angels School, track and field and goalball (a game he created) at St. Mary's Academy. In 1964 he became manager of the Potomac Gardens men's team in the St. Mary's County Rocking Chair Softball League, compiling a record of 43-7 over three years, finishing second in 1964 in a special playoff after three teams finished the regular season tied for first play. In 1965 and 1966 the team won back to back league and county championships. He also received the following honors: Presidential awards: Rocking Chair Softball League 1979, St. Mary's County Women's Softball League 1977 and the St. Mary's County Young Men's League 1982. Appreciation Awards: St. Mary's County Slowpitch Softball League 1980 and Budweiser Softball Tournament League 1983. Hall of Fame Awards: Rocking Chair Softball League 1982, Women's Softball League 1991, St. Mary's Ryken High School 1989, ASA and St. Mary's County Hall of Honor 1984. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 from 5:00 â?? 8:00 PM in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, where Prayers will be said at 7:00 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, April 25, 2007 at 10:00 AM in Holy Angels Catholic Church, Avenue, MD with Fr. LaHood officiating. Interment will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Bushwood, MD. Pallbearers will Francis Nelson, Joseph Nelson, David Nelson, William Cullins, George Guy and Deane Guy. Contributions may be made to the 7th District Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 7, Avenue, MD 20609 and/or Holy Angels Catholic Church, 21335 Coltons Point Road, Avenue, MD 20609. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A.