In his more than a century of life, Frank McCullough was many things: a soldier, business executive, hobby farmer, Knight of Malta, father. All who spent time with him will remember him as a gentleman.
Born in Montreal in 1921 alongside his twin brother, John, Frank and his three siblings grew up in England under the care of nannies and boarding school masters while his parents lived and worked in West Africa. He was already enlisted in Britain’s Territorial Army when the Second World War broke out in 1939, and he would serve in that conflict longer than most of the belligerent countries. He fought in North Africa, Italy, France, the Netherlands and Greece, first as a gunner and then as a parachutist. He was wounded twice, recovered, decorated many times for his bravery, rose to the rank of Major and continued on to Palestine, where he was a peacekeeper until July 1946.
After the war he went to work for the Royal Bank of Canada in Recife, Brazil for six years before returning to Montreal. He married Maria Teresa Merick in 1957. The couple would have four children. By then working as a forest company executive, Frank accepted a job with MacMillan Bloedel in Vancouver, where the family moved in 1962. His dream of country living was answered in 1970 when the family acquired a 20-acre property in South Surrey that he christened Maplehurst Farm. There, the family raised sheep, horses and chickens while Frank continued to commute to his job in Vancouver. His clear favourite among the animals (and possibly people too) was his three-legged Chesapeake Bay retriever, Bruno.
Devout Catholics, Frank and Terry joined the Order of Malta, helping to raise money and serve the needs of the poor, displaced and disabled around the world. They would continue to make pilgrimages to Lourdes and other places where the Order was active after Frank’s retirement and well into the 21st Century. While he held strong opinions, Frank was unfailingly courteous and respectful to others. He lived strictly by his principles and was fiercely loyal to his friends and family. Frugal with his own wants, he was generous to others. In his latter years he delighted in his many grandchildren.
Predeceased by his siblings Thirza (McCormick), John and David, Frank is survived by his loving wife, Terry, children Brendan, Jonathan, Maria and Michael, 11 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. His funeral service will be held October 25, 2023 at 11 a.m. at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Vancouver and his burial will be at 1 p.m. at the Gardens of Gethsemane in Surrey. Evening prayers will be said at 6 p.m. on October 24, 2023 at Sts. Peter and Paul. All are welcome. For those unable to attend, the service will also be available via livestream at https://www.legacystreaming.com/kearney/
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Sovereign Order of Malta Canadian Association, designated as a gift to the Brotherhood of Blessed Gerard, Mandeni, Kwazululand, South Africa.