Dr. Clift Cullen, faculty emeritus for the Department of Industrial Technology, passed away on April 13 after a life committed to his family, agriculture and serving others. He was 84 years old.

Cullen joined the Fresno State faculty in 1971 and taught classes and oversaw labs and student projects in the areas of automotive design, manufacturing, refrigeration and hydraulics. He was a major contributor in developing its automotive lab, and helped students win a Formula One race car and a Hybrid car competition sponsored by Ford Motor Company.

Students also benefited from his numerous visual learning and teaching aids that included an automotive transmission test unit; a bench alternator and generator test unit; cut-a-ways for power steering systems, shocks, air compressors and internal combustion engines; and instrumentation for air conditioning, brake safety systems and heat pump systems.

He served as the advisor to the SAE Formula Car, Mini Baja, and Supermileage teams (five times for each event), the Innovative Vehicle Design Competition Expo 86, and the SAE Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV). His professional organization memberships included The Society of Automotive Engineers, the College Automotive Teacher, the National Automotive Teachers Association, Epsilon Pi Tau, and the Society of Refrigeration Service Engineers.

He retired from the department in 2008 and continued to share his love of repairing and refining technology. This included trips to his Punahou High School alma mater on Oahu on vacations, and a property full of refurbished equipment on his property on Molokai. Raised on Oahu, Hawaii, he later attended Church College of Hawaii, Santa Rosa Junior College, Fresno State and USC.

His home northeast of the Fresno State campus was reminiscent of some of his favorite things in Hawaii - large sprawling lawns, fruit-bearing trees of all kinds, windmill-driven water pumps and a pond with a large gaggle of pet geese.

Relationships with good people were of high value to Cairn. He would do nearly anything for a friend, all you had to do was ask. He also found joy and love with his girlfriend of 51 years, Barbara Bradberry. The two met at a laundromat in 1971. Cairn was maintaining the machinery, while Barbara was working at the dry cleaners in the back. They began dating and never looked back until her passing in 2022. They loved spending time together, whether it was traveling the world or spending a quiet evening at home together.

You can share fond memories and expressions of sympathy for the Cullen family and see more information about his legacy is available at his obituary.