BJ newsroom retiree Art Cullison, 92, dies

Art Cullison in 1980s BJ newsroom photo

Beacon Journal newsroom retiree Ardent L. “Art” Cullison, 92, passed away Thursday at Baptist Life Community in Erlanger, Ky. Calling hours will be 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4 at Billow Funeral Home on North Miller Road in Fairlawn. A service will follow. 

Memorial contributions may be made to United Way of Summit County or Legal Aid of the Bluegrass, 104 E. Seventh St., Covington, Ky., 41011.

The family will go to Billow Funeral Home on Monday to provide information for an obituary in the BJ.

Art began his 36-year career at the BJ in 1949. He was entertainment writer for the BJ from 1950 to 1959, covering movies, TV, legitimate theater and nightclubs. Art was assistant State Desk editor and on the copy desk at other stages of his career. 

In 1958 Art interviewed fabled actor Clark Gable, a Cadiz, Ohio native, and Gable’s fifth wife, Kay Spreckles, when Gable was promoting his “Teacher’s Pet” movie co-starring Doris Day.

Art was a ferocious defender of grammar and the English language. When Art and the late Hal Fry were on the BJ copy desk they may have formed the most learned newsroom pair west of the New York Times.

The Garfield High School and University of Akron graduate and his wife, retired Copley High English teacher Helen Louise, 91, lived in an assisted living community in Erlanger  near their son, Dick. Helen Louise once was president of the League of Women Voters in Akron and organized and moderated candidates nights.

Both were avid bridge players.

Art had his wry, deadpan sense of humor, too. 

As newsroom retiree Tom Moore wrote in an earlier BJ Alums article:

“Publisher Ben Maidenburg had forgotten his ID. When Ben came through the door, the guard asked him for his ID. Ben told him he'd forgotten it, but he assured the fellow that he worked there. The guard was not satisfied. He took Ben into the office and sitting at the old horseshoe copy desk was copy editor Art Cullison.

“ ‘You know this fellow?’ the guard asked. Art looked at Ben and said with a straight face: ‘Never saw him before in my life!’

“Ben had to go downstairs in the parking garage and come up through the lobby. But he did have a sense of humor, so Art didn't get the can.”

Art was a regular at the monthly BJ retirees lunch at Papa Joe’s restaurant on Akron-Peninsula Road at Portage Trail Extension as late as April 2007. For the Nov. 8, 2006 lunch/laughfest, Art brought wife Helen Louise because they were celebrating their 64th wedding anniversary that day.

A Nov. 4, 2005 BJ Alums article had a 1974 photo of Art and Helen Louise enjoying Art’s induction into the BJ 25-Year Club on their 32nd wedding anniversary.

Art passed a day after another BJ retiree, former printer Cal Deshong, 93, died. 

Cal was at the BJ from 1952 to 1983, starting three years after Art and retiring two years before Art. 

Calling hours for Cal at the Redmon Funeral Home, 3633 Darrow Road, Stow, are 2-5 p.m. Sunday with services 10 a.m. Monday at Redmon.

Read BJ culture writer Rich Heldenfels’ column on Art’s passing.