McCullens, Blanton honored
By Steve Herring
Published in News on November 24, 2015 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/STEVE HERRING
R.E. McCullen, left, and his late wife, Julia, were inducted into the Wayne County Agricultural Hall of Fame Monday night. The award was presented by Jessica Strickland.
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Julia Mae Dildy McCullen
News-Argus/STEVE HERRING
Edythe Blanton, left, accepts the Outstanding Woman in Agriculture Award from Anne Turner at the annual Wayne County Farm-City Banquet.
R.E. McCullen, 93, of Mount Olive and his late wife, Julia Mae Dildy McCullen, were inducted Monday night into the Wayne County Agricultural Hall of Fame in recognition of their outstanding contributions in the field of agriculture.
Edythe O. Blanton of Dudley received the Outstanding Woman in Agriculture Award presented by the Wayne County Community and Extension Association.
The awards were presented during the annual Wayne County Farm-City Banquet held at Lane Tree Golf Club and attended by nearly 250 people.
The Wayne County Agricultural Hall of Fame was founded in 1984 by Lloyd Massey as a means of honoring those local residents who have made outstanding contributions to agriculture in Wayne County.
Since that time, 33 living and 32 deceased individuals have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, honoring them with a plaque and placing their photographs on the walls of the Wayne Center.
The selection criteria focus on outstanding contributions to agriculture in a managerial, leadership, and voluntary capacity, plus the impact in the community of the individual's efforts on agriculture.
An outside selection committee reviews.
"Julia's contributions to the family farm and Wayne County agriculture have made Wayne County a better place to live and farm," said Extension Agent Jessica Strickland, who presented the awards. "Her quiet, steadfast leadership was woven throughout the Wayne County agriculture community. She was known in all areas of the county and was respected for her integrity and love for life.
"R.E. McCullen's tenacity and perseverance are the attributes that have made his family farm one of the few left in Wayne County. His life is an example of how hard work and dedication to a goal can make a dream come true."
McCullen, a lifetime farmer, was born in 1922 at Dobbersville, the youngest of seven children. He graduated from Piney Grove High School and joined the army in World War II, serving as a staff sergeant of the First Cavalry Division.
The McCullens have one son, Randy, and a deceased daughter, Millicent, two grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
"He grew up working hard on the family farm," Ms. Strickland said. "When his father died in 1953, R.E. and Julia inherited a 56-acre farm near Mount Olive where they moved their family to and began expanding their farming operation.
"R.E. McCullen Farms is now made up of a total of 1,600 acres including field crops, cattle, hogs and pecan trees. In more recent years, the farm diversified with value-added activities and crops including."
McCullen is a popular speaker about his service in World War II at schools, churches and community agencies and clubs and is still able to wear his uniform from the war, she said.
"R.E. has served numerous leadership roles, including supporting FFA when Southern Wayne High School opened in 1965 when his son Randy was elected president of the school and federation chapters and vice president at the state level," Ms. Strickland said.
McCullen is a member of the Wayne County Livestock Development Association and has been on Wayne County Farm Bureau board of directors for 25 years.
He has lobbied for agriculture issues all his life for all local and state agriculture agencies, participating in political forums and events at local, state and national levels, Ms. Strickland said.
He is active in Rones Chapel United Methodist Church serving as Sunday school superintendent for more than 50 years and chairman of the finance committee for more than 30 years.
Mrs. McCullen was born in Greene County in 1925 and was the eldest of six children where she grew up on a farm.
She graduated from Walstonburg High School, went to cosmetology school and worked as a beautician in Raleigh.
She and McCullen were married in 1947.
"Mrs. McCullen was active in all aspects of the farming operation including harvesting and looping tobacco, feeding hogs and cattle all the while cooking, cleaning and being the model homemaker," Ms. Strickland said. "Julia was a full partner in the farming operation and often gave her husband and son the following advice, 'Don't buy more land than you can say grace over.'"
Mrs. McCullen was actively involved in promoting and supporting agriculture serving more than 20 years on the Wayne Regional Agricultural Fair Committee of the Wayne County Livestock Development Association.
She was member of the TriCom Home Extension Club serving as president for eight years.
Mrs. Blanton was reared on a family farm.
She received her undergraduate and master's degrees in physical education from East Carolina University.
She worked for nearly 30 years at Cherry Hospital, retiring as director of volunteer services.
Mrs. Blanton has worked with the Wayne County Livestock Development Association for 17 years, working primarily on the annual fair and livestock show and sale.
As manager of the fair office, Mrs. Blanton works directly with vendors and livestock show participants, sponsors and exhibitors for one of the top fairs in the state.
She is responsible for numerous publications including the annual fair book.
Mrs. Blanton helps organize the livestock show and sale and manages the distribution of contributions from sponsors to youth participants.