Cullum, Edward Neely

Comments by Pam White

Ed Cullum helped me ground my faith, learn how to live my values and how not to be obtrusive when offering help to someone who hadn’t asked for it. He preached at Otter Creek during two separate periods of time, one of which was in the 1960’s. That was during formative periods for Otter Creek, U.S. society, and me personally. He left David Lipscomb College during the Civil Rights movement to teach at Tennessee State University (I think the first Caucasian faculty member there). His stand for civil rights helped me to recognize both personal and institutional racism, misuse of power, and de-humanization as I have encountered those since that time. He was a scholar, yet his faith was simple. He showed me kindness, helped pick me up when I fell down, and showed my generation at Otter Creek how to have fun and learn at the same time. He and Anne loved to travel, and their input on the 1960s teens’ trip to Canada would not have been nearly so much fun if they had not helped to guide our planning and accompanied us on the trip. He helped locate the camp we rented, and it was his idea to stop by Greenfield Village. He and Anne were the first couple I knew who drove a convertible, and it was sporty! Ward was a late-in-life baby for Ed and Anne. I was impressed by how bright Ward was, but also how involved Ed was in teaching his son.

Comments by Fletcher Srygley

Not long after we moved to Nashville, Ed Cullum, who had earlier been minister of Otter Creek, taught a class on the Providence of God. I had heard the word providence but had never thought seriously about it until then. I do not remember details of the lessons; I wish that I had the handouts. I do know that the series caused me to think about how God acts.

Davis, Alice (Roi)