Patricia Pryor Cullen
Jan. 31, 1925-Sept. 12, 2016
Palo Alto, California
Patricia Pryor Cullen passed away on Sept. 12 from natural causes at the age of 91. She was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and graduated from Emmanuel College in 1945. After graduation she was employed by the Human Engineering Laboratory, an aptitude testing organization. In 1946 she moved to Chicago to head the laboratory in that city. It was there that she met and married her husband Michael.
They moved to Stanford Village in 1949 where she did technical editing for the Stanford Press. From 1952 to 1956 she worked in the book division of Sunset Magazine. She and Michael moved to Palo Alto in the early 1950s and were residents for over 50 years. They raised their four children in Palo Alto and were active members of the community.
Patricia had a long and dynamic career in public service and politics beginning in 1954 with work on the committee to establish a new library to replace the old downtown Palo Alto Carnegie Library. She was president of the Addison School PTA and served two terms as president of the Palo Alto High School PTA.
She was active in the Association for a Balanced Community which successfully opposed the building of the Palo Alto Clinic Hospital and the downtown Superblock; She served on the Palo Alto Planning Commission for 13 years including two terms as chair. During her tenure she championed the cause of moderate growth and responsible development by promoting height limits, limited floor area ratios and ground floor retail.
Upon retirement, Patricia and Michael built a second home in Ashland, Oregon, where they spent their summers. The family tradition of gathering there for the Fourth of July festivities continues to this day.
Patricia’s husband Michael died in 2003, and she lived in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo before returning to the area several years ago where she lived independently near family.
She is predeceased by her son Philip (Jennifer) and survived by her daughter Anne Marie; sons Paul and Charles (Linda); and eight grandchildren Ian, Katie, Michael, Christopher, Fiona, Jacqueline, Jamie and Kevin.
Tags: public service
