Betty J. Cullen

Betty Joyce (Busbee) Cullen, age 93, of Rochester, New Hampshire and Harlingen, Texas was born in Norfolk, Virginia on September 5, 1929 and passed away, surrounded by family, on September 7, 2022 in Harlingen, Texas after several years of declining health.  Betty was predeceased by her father Ferebee Edward Busbee and her mother Edna (Latimer, Busbee) Jones.  Betty’s husband of more than 64 years, Dr. Roland P. Cullen, D.M.D., passed away in 2009. Betty was also predeceased by her son, Steven K. Cullen, and her first grandchild, Helen Ackerman.

Betty met her husband, Dr. Roland P. Cullen, a Navy Lieutenant stationed at the Navy base in Norfolk, during World War II.  Upon completion of Roland’s service in the Navy, the young couple moved to Roland’s hometown in Rochester, New Hampshire where Roland opened his dental office.  As a young bride, Betty cared for her ailing mother-in-law who passed away shortly before the birth of Betty and Roland’s first child.

Throughout her life Betty was committed to serving her family and her community.  She volunteered her services as a Brownie and Girl Scout Leader and spent numerous hours preparing craft projects for the scouts and helped them learn leadership skills.

During the formation of a formal volunteer program at Frisbee Memorial Hospital in Rochester, Betty became the first Director of Volunteers.  The program she led consisted of training adult volunteers as well as organizing formal training for young women in the community who were interested in careers in nursing.  Several weeks of training provided the skills for young volunteers to contribute their service to assist hospital patients and staff.  After her service at Frisbee Memorial Hospital, Betty remained active in the Rochester health community serving on the Board of Directors of the Visiting Nurses Association (VNA).

Several years ago, Betty volunteered at the Rochester library where she helped to modernize their card catalog system to online.  She was also an active member of the Rochester Garden Club through which she helped to beautify the town.  As members of the Rochester Country Club, Betty and Roland enjoyed socializing with friends at club events.

Roland, Betty, and family were members of Saint Mary’s Parish in Rochester for many years and sent their three children to Saint Mary’s Grammar School, previously located on Charles Street.  During this period of time when the school was built and funded by members of the Parish, Betty always contributed her work effort at fund raising dinners and food sales to support the Parish, the school, and the children.

During summers, Roland and Betty provided hours of entertainment to their children, relatives, and friends, at their summer camp in Milton, New Hampshire. Roland’s specialty was barbecuing; Betty handled the other chores.  As their children grew and became members of the Tri-Echo Water Ski Club in Milton, Betty was chief organizer of food services at the annual ski tournaments.

Later in life when the children were grown and Roland decided to work fewer hours, Betty helped as office assistant in Roland’s dental office. This arrangement worked perfectly for both to enjoy their working and “non-working” time together.

Betty and Roland purchased a motorhome and toured much of the United States and Canada.  While traveling in Nova Scotia Canada, they fell in love with the local people in the quiet community of Whitehead and enjoyed fresh fish and lobster purchased right from the dock.  They bought a home in Whitehead, Nova Scotia and generously shared their “home away from home” with friends and family.

Upon Roland’s retirement, Betty and Roland continued their motorhome adventures and once again found a new “home away from home” in Harlingen, Texas and became “Winter Texans”.  Their new Texas home provided warm winter weather, grapefruit trees, exotic birds and the joy of living among the sweet people of the Rio Grande Valley.  Betty and Roland volunteered many hours of service with the Sisters of Divine Providence at La Posada Shelter in San Benito, Texas.  As the Texas summer approached, they returned to their family home in Rochester, New Hampshire. Eventually the home in Rochester was sold and Betty became a full-time Texan.

Betty was a wonderful cook with her most famous items being baked stuffed lobsters, southern barbecue, and lamb.  Throughout her life, Betty shared her talents and love with her family and community.

Betty was fortunate to spend the last years of her life living at the Spear Home in Harlingen where “Miss Betty” was cared for with patience, love, and humor by Lisa, Kenny, Elvia, and Olga. We are also grateful for the kindness and friendship of Betty’s dear friend, Lupita.

Betty will be dearly missed by members of her family: her son, Paul Cullen and his wife Mary; her daughter, Linda Joyce (Cullen) Ackerman and husband John Richard Ackerman; granddaughter, Heidi Guzik and her husband David and their two sons: Jonathan and Jason; granddaughter Kristine Luck and her three children: Ryan, Alexander, and Elizabeth; and her youngest granddaughter Wendy Ackerman.

There will be a private burial for Betty at Saint Mary Cemetery in Rochester, New Hampshire.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Buck Ashcraft San Benito Funeral Home in San Benito, Texas and Edgerly Funeral Home in Rochester, New Hampshire.