Grace Cullen

REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA-Grace Cullen, 93, passed away peacefully Wednesday, December 29, 2010 in her home with her son, Robert Howard Cullen, Jr. by her side. Grace Henrietta Karlson was born in Parker, Idaho, April 21, 1917 to Louis Edgar and Leah Louise (Haight) Karlson, both descendents of prominent Utah pioneers. When Grace was a young girl, her family moved to Pocatello, Idaho. Her father built a home on Randolph within which Grace and her two sisters, Reva Josephine and Vilma Lou, were lovingly raised. Grace often spoke of her young life in Pocatello. She told of how she enjoyed attending LDS church activities. She especially liked church dances, basketball, performing in plays, and reciting poetry. She also cherished memories of camping with her family or shopping with her mother, sisters, and Grandma Haight, and she fondly told of family get-togethers with aunts, uncles and cousins by the dozens. Grace married her childhood sweetheart, Robert (Bob) Howard Cullen, Sr. in 1934. Their forst daughter, Barbara Grace, was born five years later. Life was good for the young family. By the 1940's they owned a cozy home in Pocatello. In 1945 another child Robert Howard (Bobby) Jr. was born just before Bob left home to serve in the Navy during the second World War. When Bob returned, a third child, Linda Leah, was born. Grace and Bob's thoughts turned toward the future. Bob, Grace and their three young children drove to Los Angles, California, only intending to stay in their rented home until Bob earned an electrician technician certification. However, after a family ride to Redondo Beach, they thought this location would be a great place to raise their family and start a nearby television repair business. Within a few miles of the ocean, They purchased a home in a new housing development, which was still surrounded by vacant, sandy land, and they lived there the remainder of their lives. After Graces' children were almost raised, she began an enjoyable career with May Company Department Store, which was located in the former South Bay Shopping Center. She made several very close friends during the 21 years that she worked there and kept in contact with them throughout their retirement years. In addition to the wonderful friends she made in California, Grace kept many long, Loving friendships with relatives and friends whom she and Bob knew in their younger days in Pocatello as well as friends they enjoyed while at their cabin in Island Park, Idaho. Graces' sister, Velma McCormach-Hippack, as well as Graces', children, Barbara Downs, Robert Cullen, Jr. and Linda Cavallaro, Two granddaughters. Marcy Watson and Rachelle Seelig and three great-grandsons, Colby, Chase and Conner Watson Survive Grace. Graces' husband of seventy years, Robert Cullen, Sr., her parents, Louis and Leah Karlson, her sister, Reva Thornock-Kearl, and an infant brother preceded her in death. Funeral services will be held at the LDS Chapel on the corner of Forth and Fredregil, in Pocatello on Saturday, January 8, 2011 at 11:00 am with burial following at Mountain View Cemetery. Visitation will be at the church on Saturday, one hour prior to the services.