James Allen McCullough

James Allen McCullough was born in Uniontown, Alabama in July 1940, to Luther Earl McCullough and Essie Mae McCullough (nee Dunkin). He grew up in Birmingham and Crichton AL before eventually moving to Satsuma AL in the early 1950s. He attended Murphy High School for a year, then attended and graduated from Satsuma High as a member of its second graduating class. He was an active athlete, actor, and all-around raconteur even at that tender age.

Upon graduating he joined the IBEW and became an electrician, a trade and vocation he followed for over 50 years. He felt such gratitude to his union that he dedicated a great deal of time to becoming part and improving its leadership and education, eventually becoming president of his IBEW Local 505 and leading the founding of the Joint Apprentice Training Committee.

He later attended the University of South Alabama while working part-time and finished with a BS in Business and Labor Relations.

He was active and involved in many community and service organizations, including the Saraland-Satsuma Jaycees and the Saraland Drug Abuse Committee in the early 1970s, as well as spending a LOT of time at ballparks, playgrounds, and other places his two sons wanted to visit.

He was an avid scuba diver until he started exploring springs and caves, and then (after his wife’s insistence) became an avid skin diver with his kids.

He loved owning and driving cars, and owned many fine examples of Detroit’s art before he settled on one from his home state of Alabama.

He was a multitalented and gifted craftsman, especially with woodwork, and a Master electrician who sponsored generations of apprentices.

He had a special knack for telling a joke in conversation that had a lot of piercing truth in it, and the harder the truth was to hear, the more likely he was to make it into joke – even if it was at your expense.

He was an unflagging friend and advocate and an implacable adversary.

He loved the study of history, especially of the Old West, Scotland and the British Isles, and his native state, where one or another branch of his family has been since before there was an Alabama.

He loved New York and would talk enthusiastically about his years spent living there. And then he would tell you about how actually living across the river in Jersey was actually a better deal.

He was an avid advocate of conservation and keeping nature alive and healthy for the use of all, not just a privileged few.

He loved to hunt, especially ducks, and loved to joke that he was the reason that ducks aren’t in the Mobile Delta anymore.

He was the much-loved and devoted husband of Laney Casey McCullough, and was devastated by her loss in 2008.

He was the best father any man could have asked for to his sons Todd and Mark, and was a doting and generous grandfather to his 3 grandchildren, Alexander, Jack, and Sarah. He loved his daughters-in-law. He adored his nieces and nephews.

He survived injuries throughout his life to his body and soul that would have stopped many other men instantly. He kept going because that’s just what you did in his world, and people depend on you and besides, you should expect that of yourself.

He was real. He was true to himself, and thus never false to others. He was a good – no, a Great – man and the world is a little poorer right now for his loss.

He died after a long fight with COPD, and will be greatly missed by his surviving son Todd Allen McCullough, daughter-in-law Heather Tevendale McCullough, grandchildren Alexander, Jack, and Sarah; his brother Kenneth Wayne McCullough and wife Linda Woods McCullough; his many nieces, nephews, and cousins; and countless friends. He was preceded in death by his wife of 45 years, Jill Elaine Casey McCullough and son Mark (father of Jack).

Funeral services will be held from the chapel of Radney Funeral Home on Wednesday, February 21, 2018, at 1 p.m. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 11 a.m. until the service hour. Interment will follow in Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens.If you like, in lieu of flowers, you may send donations to the Alabama Rivers Alliance (https://alabamarivers.org/donate-now/; note in memory of James McCullough). Maybe the ducks can catch a break and go back to the Mobile Delta. Condolences may be offered at www.radneyfuneralhome-saraland.com. Arrangements by Radney Funeral Home, 1200 Industrial Parkway, Saraland, Alabama 36571.