Mark Cullings leaves a legacy of compassion, civic engagement, and a deep love for Hingham

August 14, 2024 by Carol Britton Meyer (photos provided)

This town we all love won’t be the same without Mark Cullings, who passed away recently.

A friendly and affable neighbor, loving and proud father, active citizen, and lover of all things Hingham, Mark leaves a rich legacy of compassion, kindness, civic engagement, and a deep love for this town, his family, and friends. He put his heart and best efforts into everything he did.

“There’s a hole in all our lives with Mark’s sudden passing. He was a good friend, neighbor, and fellow Vietnam-era veteran, who exemplified service over self,” longtime friend Jon Asher told the Hingham Anchor. “It would be challenging to sum up all the ways that Mark supported causes and initiatives in Hingham, but one thing is certain: whenever he engaged, he stayed with it even if it took years. In a time of polarization, he set a needed standard for thoughtful, respectful, and constructive civic engagement. That’s a wonderful and rare legacy.”

A familiar figure around town and at Town Hall, Mark was often seen driving around in his British Racing Green circa 1970s Triumph TR-6 convertible with the top down once the weather turned the slightest bit warm.

As president of the Hingham Farmers Market, he was a well-known face at this popular gathering place on Saturday mornings and during the winter market at the Wompatuck State Park Visitors Center, enjoying pleasant conversations with vendors and patrons and making sure the market was running smoothly.

Mark was a key player in revitalizing the market a number of years ago.

‘He was my role model’

Beverley Vernon, a longtime member of the Friends of the Hingham Farmers Market, called Mark “the ultimate gentleman.  He said please, he said thank you.  He was my role model for caring about the community.  You wanted to please him and do what was right,” she said. “Mark never stopped trying to solve a problem or to improve our wonderful town of Hingham.  He loved this community and did not like to be acknowledged for his contributions.  I am incredulous that I need to write anything as tribute.  He needs to be on this Earth.  Yet, I know the way he led his life will guide me to lead my life fully and in service to others with kindness.  I say to you, Mark, ‘Thank you!'”

In making his rounds, he was never too busy to stop and chat when he ran into friends at Brewed Awakenings or elsewhere around Hingham.

‘I admired him immensely’

“The quote from Fred Rogers about ‘looking for the helpers’ may be well-worn, but it perfectly captures who Mark was,” Katie Sutton said. “While many are aware of his numerous contributions to our community, there were countless small acts of kindness he carried out quietly, without seeking recognition — like checking in on friends who were unwell or going out of his way to support our small local businesses. Mark’s passion and his commitment to meaningful civic engagement made him a true role model. I admired him immensely.”

Mark has a long history of volunteer service to the town, where he lived, served, and enjoyed spending time with his family — his late wife, Janice, and two daughters, Carolyn and Lauren — after moving to Hingham in 1979.

Four years later, he was elected to the School Committee, which he earlier called “one of the biggest honors of my life.” He was also a founding  member of the Hingham Education Foundation and a passionate advocate for improved cell service.

‘Always focused on making a difference’

“Mark’s service to our community was often quiet and behind the scenes, always focused on making a difference without seeking recognition,” Select Board member Liz Klein said in remarks she made on Aug. 10, Hingham Farmers Market Day, at its Station Street location.

“As many of you know, we unexpectedly lost a dear friend, Mark Cullings this week,” she said. “The Market has flourished under his leadership and passion. No one embodied the spirit and goodness of this market, and our community, more than Mark Cullings. . . . He was the epitome of community spirit and dedication, a true Hingham volunteer who gave selflessly of his time and expertise. His contributions to the town were profound.”

While Mark was a strong supporter of the town’s acquisition of the water company a few years ago, he always listened respectfully to other points of view.

Former Select Board member Mary Power noted that Mark “has touched nearly everything that makes our community special, which is why he was so special.  He was a dedicated volunteer who did his work and modeled civil discourse and an engaged citizen who organized an advocacy group that was instrumental in the acquisition of the water company and who organized a group of citizens to partner with our government and businesses to improve cell service.  He was also a visionary who saw the possibilities of Christmas in the Square, the Heritage Museum, the Farmer’s Market, and more.”

‘I am grateful to have known him’

As significant as these contributions are, Power said, “Mark was a devoted father, grandfather, uncle, neighbor, and friend.  He embodied the best of Hingham.  I am grateful to have known him and call him my friend and I will miss him.”

Tina Sherwood, a member of Citizens for Hingham Water, recalls lamenting with Mark about how much they missed the group following the successful acquisition vote at Town Meeting.

As a result, they decided to host a dinner party at “headquarters” (Mark’s house) “to get the gang back together.  In an effort to make it easy, we made it ‘potluck,’ with no guidelines.  A few friends were concerned about this, questioning whether we should have managed the process more carefully.  What if everyone brought dessert?  10 chips and dips?  20 cheese trays.  Mark and I had so much fun plotting and planning, and we were excited about the mystery of potluck — we couldn’t be swayed.”

When the night arrived, everything worked out perfectly.  “Mark and I kept finding each other throughout the evening because we were so tickled.  ‘Did you try the lasagna?’   ‘No!  Lasagna?  On my way!’  We couldn’t have catered a better menu, and everyone had such a good time being together,” Sherwood recalled.

“Mark and I always talked about hosting another reunion party,  and we’d joke that ‘we have a lifetime.’  What a reminder that our time together is precious.  We’ve truly lost one of Hingham’s finest citizens.  I feel so fortunate to have known him.”

‘Making our world a better place’

Mark had a unique gift “for identifying and addressing the issues that mattered most, always with an eye toward making our world a better place,” said Klein. “He often said, ‘One of my passions is Hingham.’ His kindness, steady leadership, and unwavering dedication will be deeply missed. Yet, his legacy of service, his love for Hingham, and his strong sense of civic duty will continue to inspire us all for generations to come.”

Former Select Board member Laura Burns also shared her thoughts about Mark. “He cared deeply about Hingham and every person in it. His passion was making our town a better place, and he succeeded brilliantly, bringing kind leadership to so many public projects, all while avoiding the limelight for himself,” she said. “Mark’s kindness and selflessness are a beacon for us all.  It was a pleasure and an inspiration to know him.”

‘Enthusiasm and love for his family, friends, and town’

When Judy Sneath thinks of Mark, it’s about “all that we worked on together in Hingham, his walks with [his Corgi] Tarzan at Turkey Hill, seeing him drive by in his convertible, and his beaming hellos and easy conversation. I think of the enthusiasm and love Mark had for his family, friends, and town.

“Mark was a believer in the possibilities and in the power of people to bring the possible to life. Best of all, he stepped right in to pitch in and lead the way,” Sneath said.

This includes his advocacy for better cell service in Hingham.  “Last August, Mark pulled together a group of residents, each with a particular talent, and spurred action. With his combination of grace, smarts, persistence, and good humor, he persuaded us to meet weekly and take action,” Sneath recalls. “I know these traits are familiar to so many Hingham residents who joined Mark in [various efforts to gain support] — for a candidate for town office, for better parking in Hingham Square, for the Farmers Market, for the water company, for a playground, for the schools, and for this town.”

What has become more apparent to Sneath since [his passing], though, is how many people counted Mark as a close friend. “He gave of himself generously and showed us how to build a stronger community, to awaken the possibilities,” she said. “I will miss him.”

‘An incredible friendship’

Tien Do-Suarez also shared how much her friendship with Mark meant to her.

“On the surface, Mark and I may appear to be very different in culture, race, age, and upbringing. Despite that, the truth is that Mark and I found an incredible friendship over our values on family, raising daughters, community work, supporting local farmers, appreciating home gardens, and food spices,” she said. “Mark shared with me his perspectives on just about everything and texted me around my 50th birthday that ‘there is a lot to life after 50.’ He was right about that and lived his life to the fullest after 50 years of age. He told me that I will find ways to keep on moving.”

Do-Suarez considered Mark to be a “very thoughtful friend,” often checking in with his friends and family.

“One circumstance that I’ll never forget is the time he drove to my house worrying about my husband’s back pain. He shared his own physical health journey and encouraged Joe to take steps to improve his,” she recalled.

“I will miss Mark’s wisdom, warm spirit, and kindness. He never ceased to make [those he shared time with] feel appreciated and strong, even though he [represented] those traits and more to me. I am forever grateful for his friendship and loving heart and will cherish the memories that we have together.”

In 1982, when Mark was chair of the Hingham Merchants Association (now the Hingham Downtown Association), the HMA hosted the first Christmas in the Square celebration, with him at the helm for the first few years as one of its founders.

While Mark called himself an “amateur photographer,” he had a talent for taking photos wherever he went out of an appreciation for Hingham’s strong sense of community and its natural beauty and history, to the enjoyment of friends and family.

Hingham was one of his passions

Mark earlier served in the United States Air Force, where he underwent pilot training. He flew for Delta Air Lines for 30 years and never lost his love of traveling while remaining rooted in Hingham, which was one of his many passions.

His meticulously-maintained lawn didn’t stop him from allowing neighborhod kids to sled on the slope in the winter, and his beloved Tarzan loved to lie out on the front lawn enjoying life and what was going on around him.

During the holidays, there was always a festive wreath on the front door, and during the warmer weather, pots of colorful flowers.

Sherwood said it’s hard to fathom that Mark “is no longer with us. It seems impossible.  Mark has been a fixture in Hingham.  He has touched so many things.  He was reliable, deliberate, exceedingly kind, and so generous with his time and spirit — I could go on and on. The loss is profound.”

As one of the most well-known and beloved members of the Hingham community, Mark will be missed and long remembered.