David McCullough – Beloved Husband, Father, Pastor and Mayor Passes on April 18, 2017

David McCullough, Cheatham County Mayor and Pastor of Cedar Hill Church in Pegram, Tennessee, was born in the City of Cavite, Philippines on October 28, 1962 and passed on Tuesday, April 18, 2017.

Mayor McCullough was diagnosed with cancer in the summer of 2015 but was considered cancer free following surgery.  A year after the surgery the McCullough family celebrated a year of being free of cancer.

In January of 2017 McCullough visited his doctor with some complaints. Surgery was scheduled to remove, what doctors anticipated to be scar tissue, from the previous cancer removal surgery.  Following surgery and testing, doctors told McCullough and his wife Megan cancer had returned.  He was diagnosed with a rare aggressive abdomen cancer and there weren’t any treatment options available.

On Friday, April 7, 2017 Cheatham County Commission held an emergency special called commission meeting in the General Sessions Courtroom of Cheatham County Courthouse and Chair Donnie Jordan was appointed acting mayor and stated it was a “sad day for the county”.

April 18, 2017, just eleven days after the special called commission meeting Rep. Jim Cooper released a statement on the passing of Mayor David McCullough.

 “No one loved Cheatham County more than David McCullough. It is so sad that he was taken from us so young, right in the prime of life. I am grateful for our friendship and I will miss him. My thoughts and prayers are with Megan and family.” –Rep. Jim Cooper

According to family and friends Mayor McCullough fought hard to battle cancer and did so with unwavering faith.  Although McCullough was known as Mayor of Cheatham County, to many he was so much more, the husband to Megan Spruill McCullough since 1985 when they moved to Cheatham County, father to Elizabeth Strunk and Emma McCullough, father-in-law to Andrew Strunk and grandfather to his grandchildren. He was also a son, brother, uncle, friend, mentor and pastor to many for over 30 years.

Mayor Perry Keenan of Pleasant View stated Mayor McCullough and his family were well loved and his passing was bittersweet, bringing forth emotions of relief that he was no longer suffering but also a deep sadness that hurt the heart.

Recently Elizabeth McCullough Strunk posted on Facebook they’d seen miracle after miracle throughout this difficult journey as well as received many blessings of opportunities to share memories, laughter, tears, peace and joy by the words of her father recently shared, “God is good and Jesus is so real.” He never stopped sharing his love, peace and unwavering faith with his family.

Mayor McCullough’s visions, leadership, kind words, singing, sermons and love for others will live on through his family and echo in the lives of all who knew him, leaving a legacy to be continued and shared.