Obituary of Dr. Meritta Cullinan

Meritta was one of a kind. She was fun to travel with, a pleasure to chat with at Molloy and always an important voice for faculty. I will miss her as will all of her colleagues at Molloy.

you will always be in my heart love you forever

She always stopped to talk, I will miss her jokes and not seeing her on the stoop having a smoke!

I will miss your humor, sarcasm and unfailing knowledge of the intricacies of the faculty handbook. I imagine that you and Lee are back on your bench having a cigarette and sharing some campus stories. RIP Meritta.

Friend for 46 years and car pool partner for 40 years, Meritta was part of my life and I'm hurting deeply over her loss. She worked tirelessly and fiercely for Faculty Rights and interests at Molloy, and though we at times fought over issues, I was most happy to be on her team. Her students should be most grateful to her. The circumstances have to be pretty dire for her to miss class. She treated the students as equal collaborators in the pursuit of social understanding. She was unique, irreplaceable, courageous and astute. I've never known anyone like her and I won't ever. Oh, my heart,

Meritta had been one of the original twelve BH Board members in 1990 and had served on our Board for many years. She was such an asset and very much a part of our early growth and development.
It was also her idea to start Boxtown comes to Bethany in 2007 so that the Molloy students could get a better understanding of homelessness, and we have done these sessions every year since then.
Our prayers and condolences to the Cullinan family and to her many friends and colleagues. Meritta will be sorely missed.
The Board and Staff of Bethany House

Rest in Peace Dr Merrita Cullinan, and I'must Pray for You and All of Your Co Workers at Molloy College

Meritta was a good friend from Sacred Heart grade school in Bowmansville, NY, and Saint Mary's High in Lancaster, NY. She was always afraid of dogs on our walks to and from grade school. She loved JFK and took his assassination very hard...as did many. She loved anything Irish and was called " Irish " by many. Sometimes she would show up with green hair on St. Patty's day. We used to sing her song C U double L I NAN spells CULLINAN...etc. She served in the Peace Corps for awhile after High School. I think that was in Mexico. She had a good heart socially. Her family and ours were friends for years. Since I married and moved to another State we lost contact. She did travel to see me once. RIP

I would sit on the edge of my seat in Dr. Cullinan’s class, never knowing what would be thrown at me, neither in way of ideology nor inanimate object—as was sometimes required to command my attention, capture my imagination and challenge my convictions—in the end forever altering my reality. She helped chart the course of my history and would be a point of reference always.

Henry Adams wrote: “A teacher affects eternity; [s]he can never tell where [her] influence stops.” Dr. Cullinan taught me how to think, and with objective precision and expediency—and for this I am eternally grateful.

Good Bye, Dear Professor. You left this world much too soon.

Sociology major; Molloy College; Class of 1981

Rest In Peace Merrita. One of the best teachers, mentors in my life. Many memories from my years at Molloy revolve around her. One of a kind that’s for sure! Always made class so interesting in so many ways. Never cut her class. Made each student want to be better in class and in life.
Class of ‘78
Poly Sci/ Sociology Major

Rest In Peace Merrita. One of the best teachers, mentors in my life. Many memories from my years at Molloy revolve around her. One of a kind that’s for sure! Always made class so interesting in so many ways. Never cut her class. Made each student want to be better in class and in life.
Class of ‘78
Poly Sci/ Sociology Major

I’m so sorry to hear of Dr. Cullinan’s passing. She hit every mark when it comes to being a great teacher and I strived for perfection in all of her classes out of my total respect for her.

Rest In Peace Dr. Cullinan. Thanks for everything.


Sociology Major, Molloy College

On June 28 of last year, I began the first ouline of a manuscript that was to become the book I am now writing. It is a fictional treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge-an area of study inspired by Dr. Cullinan. The idea is to put something positive into the world. On the one-year anniversary of her death, I am honoring Meritta´s memory and contribution to my life and scholarship by including a Special Thanks to her in the book. I hope to publish it in another 18 months. Sociology major: Molloy College; Class of 1981