Ann Marie Cull

Ann Marie Cull of Quincy, MA passed away June 29, 2025 at Massachusetts General Hospital. She probably would have cut this out and left it by the door for you, along with all the other well-organized, labeled clippings she’d collected over the weeks.

Born in Milton, MA on May 26, 1936 to parents Allan P. and Anna Cull, Ann Marie was the youngest daughter of three. She, her parents, and sisters Janet (Venti) and Arlene (McCullagh) enjoyed summers in Manomet on Cape Cod, where they spent many days on the beach and reading. Ann Marie was a lifelong, voracious reader of everything: newspapers, magazines, novels, medical journals, and beyond.

Ann Marie and her beloved husband, the late William “Bill” Paulsen, traveled extensively together, loving the adventure of learning new cultures and trying new foods. In her travels to places like Greece, Italy, Spain, and California, Ann Marie would collect cookbooks to add to her library, some of her favorite reading. She was a fantastic cook and was famous for her Swedish meatballs, which were a staple at family events. Her spice cake and roast pork, too, will be greatly missed.

Over the years, her extended family came to rely on Ann Marie for her extensive professional nursing expertise, which she shared generously. She held her colleagues at Massachusetts General Hospital, where she worked for decades, in extremely high regard. She was known as a very capable, reliable colleague, and was especially valued for her sharp, caustic sense of humor. In fact, she had an alias that she would deploy when patients would ask for her name, ostensibly to file a complaint. We can now reveal that ‘Abigail Schwartz’ was really Ann Marie, whom her colleagues affectionately called ‘Abby.’

Ann Marie and her sisters were in the inaugural class at St. Agatha’s School in Milton and would often reminisce about the beautiful fields and meadows surrounding the school. She graduated from Matignon High School and from Fitchburg State College Nursing School.

Ann Marie was a truly memorable person to meet, work with, and know. In her later years, she enjoyed spending time with her nine nieces and nephews, talking about her late Scottish terrier, Ike, in her thick Boston accent, and drinking sombreros -- a coffee brandy and milk cocktail -- and Coors Light. That’s what she liked, so that’s what she did.

Visiting hours at the Alfred D. Thomas Funeral Home 326 Granite Ave Milton on Monday, July 14th from 9:00 to 10:00 am. There will be a funeral Mass at St. Agatha Church, Milton at 10:30 am. followed by a private, family burial at Milton Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, it is asked that donations be directed to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

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