If you’ve been a member of the Bengal community for quite some time, you’ve probably run into one of our university’s most committed students and achievers. Charles Cullen, also known oftentimes as just “CW”, has graced our Pocatello campus for a while, and his active and long-running presence here at Idaho State University makes his passing a great loss to our community.
Cullen, born June 2nd, 1929, passed on August 17, 2021 — just a little over a month after he celebrated his 92nd birthday. Cullen, a proud Pocatello native, who first enrolled at ISU in 1947. Although his initial start was not one of comfort, he returned back to campus in 2004 after an extensive break and a long-awaited retirement in the year 2000, which was followed also by the passing of his beloved wife, Tina. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in anthropology in 2008 and earned a second degree in 2019, a B.A. in General Studies. In addition to learning what he could from his ISU peers, and sharing knowledge and experience with them along the way, Cullen also spent his final years volunteering to teach disabled children in the community. Cullen did anything and everything to remain a “failure at retirement”, a title he attaches to himself in an interview from an ISU news article covering his upcoming accomplishments in the Spring of 2019.
For many, it is easy to recall a time they’ve run into Cullen on campus, either when traveling in between classes in his bright safety vest, waiting for the bus in rain or shine, or even when picking up his daily Einstein’s order. As a bolo tie enthusiast, Cullen’s style reflected his often positive attitude and a good sense of humor. He made a point to befriend folks everywhere he went on campus. Regardless of where you first met him, his presence was always memorable. His love of learning reflected a firm determination to gain the most out of life. At the commencement for his second bachelor’s degree, Cullen joked, “Who knows, maybe I’ll try for a master’s for my 100th birthday.”
Losing a member of our Bengal community is never easy, and we at The Bengal wanted to take a moment to remember the Bengal pride that Charles “CW” Cullen possessed during his time with us here at Idaho State University. The Cornelison Funeral Home is hosting his obituary on their website, and if you wish to donate flowers to the family of Charles Cullen, share a fond memory you had with “CW” or plant a tree in his honor, you may do so at [cornelisonfh.com].
