Prince Of Peace Called Home Billy Cullhane On Easter Sunday

Hoboken NJ

10 July, 2021

6:22 PM

Description

Press release from Dennis Sevano: The Passing Of Our Colorful Bill Prince of Peace called Billy Culhane home on Easter Sunday, a telling sign ofhis rite of passage. He was our Cabinet minister, our crowning point. All parts ofHoboken in the late 40's, 50's, and 60's had a younger unofficial chairperson ineach ward. Bill was the one Yellow Flats central force with a controlled ego and agrounded sense of self. He had a natural gift of reaching back retelling the earlieryears with a clarity and fidelity. We were building a winter igloo after a torrid blizzard near Maxwell Housein the late 50's. The snow fortress had four rooms and Bill insisted we do a fifthden type -of nook-it was done! He could be stubborn, yet right! Spalding fastball games at Bethlehem Steel, the Alley, the YMCA, his secondlodging with its cradle of adventures, and of course, Camp Tamaqua, Hoboken's YCamp in Bear Mountain, Rockland County, New York. It was here where Billydiscovered and rapidly grew with his Big Brother bonding skills. Case in point, oneof our young campers was suffering from an acute case of asthma and homesickness and was thinking about returning to the Alley flats. The families kneweach other and Bill who suffered from his own bouts of bronchitis sat with theboy comforting his medical and emotional fears. His mature instinct andemotional intelligence took over. The young camper would eventually receive his Ph.D from ColumbiaUniversity, but not before he met a young girl from Long Island who became hissignificant other, all the products of Culhane's intervention. Billy had a way offiguring out a way to broaden a number of available lanes in the name ofenduring friendships. The Ox, his nick name allegedly grew from a few teachers at WallaceElementary School. His sporting abilities were way above average in all majorphysical activities from standout Little League player, captain of HHS baseballsquad, a youth baseball coach (who could forget the memorable trip to Russiawith the Sandy Koufax Champs) softball tournaments, ping pong skills, pinballwizard, cardplaying master, especially pinocle in college, pool shooting hot shotso much his dad, a Lieutenant in the Hoboken police force forbade him from bringing his hidden pool stick to Duke's or Oliveri's Pool Hall. "Lefty" as many called him could settle any local dispute as a fair no-nonsense mediator. Billy inherited a number of Lieutenant John's traits. He introduced this friend to Little League baseball (the old field) in the late50's. Securing a tryout for the powerhouse PAL coach Joe Timothy, Bill saw thegrowing skillset in the alley and provided his dad's "Lefty" first baseball glove forold fashion audition. Yours truly made the team but lost the twenty-five dollar gorgeous glove atVeteran's field at a PAL practice session. In a state of sheer fear, my familywanted to repay for the glove, yet the Culhanes gracefully declined with William'smother Muriel citing, 'He's good but needs a few milkshakes from Ray's." The stories could continue forever as Billy could Irish them up, working onWall Street for 45 years, telling legendary tales of the town's history in hissignature Vintage Volkswagon Van. Deborah, his wife, the moor of the family,Chris, Erin, six grandchildren, a 6 th generation. Perhaps it was fitting wereconnected over the past three years, and knowing quite clearly his, "Death endsa life, but not a relationship." Until we meet again with the hope of the lost glovein hand. Dennis Sevano This press release was produced by the Dennis Sevano. The views expressed here are the author's own.