McCulloh, Gordon

Description

Early Life

Gordon McCulloh was born on March 30, 1899, in New York City, New York, the son of James Sears McCulloh and Sarah May White. He was raised in Rye, New York, where he lived from an early age and remained closely connected to the community throughout his life.

He received his education at the Heathcote School in Harrison, later known as the Kohut School, and at the Browning School in New York City. He went on to attend Princeton University, where he was a member of the Class of 1921. His early life reflects the experience of a well-established family in Rye during a period of continued suburban development and strong ties to New York City.

World War I Service

McCulloh entered service in the United States Naval Reserve Force on October 1, 1918, at Princeton, New Jersey. He served as an Apprentice Seaman in the Naval Unit at Princeton University, part of the wartime training program that prepared college students for naval service during the final months of World War I.

His active duty extended from October 1918 through November 1918, during which time he was engaged in training and preparation rather than overseas deployment. He was discharged from active service on December 13, 1918, and later placed on inactive duty, receiving final discharge on September 30, 1921.

His service reflects the mobilization of college-based naval units late in the war, contributing to the expansion of trained personnel during the closing phase of the conflict.

Life After Service

Following his military service, McCulloh returned to Rye, where he built a professional and civic life that reflected both business success and strong community involvement. He became a vice president of Cunningham and Walsh Advertising Agency in New York City, from which he retired in 1956.

He was also deeply engaged in cultural and civic activities. An accomplished watercolor artist, he held one-man exhibitions and prepared displays for the Hudson Valley Art Show in White Plains, the Rye Women’s Club, Weekapaug, Rhode Island, and the National Bank of Westchester. His work received numerous awards and recognition.

McCulloh was active in a number of organizations, including the Rye Presbyterian Church, the American Yacht Club, the Princeton Club of New York City, St. Andrew’s Society of New York City, the Alumni Association of Princeton University, and the Rye Chapter of the American Red Cross. He also served as a member of the Rye Board of Education for eight years through June 1946. During World War II, he contributed to the home front effort as a zone warden in Rye.

He married Amy Dunning Goodwin on October 18, 1924, in Rye, New York, and they had children together. Following her death in 1934, he later married Mary Virginia Gilman in September 1936 at Christ’s Church in Rye.

Gordon McCulloh died on March 31, 1968, at United Hospital in Port Chester, New York, at the age of 69.

At the time of his death, he was survived by his wife, Mary Virginia Gilman McCulloh; his three daughters, Mrs. Jean L. Kleinpeter of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Mrs. Anne deBronkart of Mahtomedi, Minnesota, and Miss M. Virginia McCulloh of Rye, New York; his two sons, James G. McCulloh of Rye and Gordon McCulloh of Miami; and seventeen grandchildren.