FARMINGTON – Roland Burton Cullenberg, 89, Holley Road, Farmington, died peacefully on March 30, after a short illness.

He was born on Oct. 27, 1918, in Brockton, Mass., the son of Arvid and Johanna Bauer Cullenberg. He graduated from Bristol Agricultural School, now Bridgewater State College in Bridgewater, Mass. After his schooling, he traveled frequently to Maine in his 1929 Model A Ford hiking, camping and exploring for the place he would eventually make his home in Farmington.

He was a part of World War II’s Greatest Generation. In 1941, he enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard. It was while on shore patrol in Cohasset, Mass., that he met the love of his life and wife-to-be, Catherine Henderson. In 1943, he attended officer candidate school at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., and was commissioned an ensign and later promoted to lieutenant junior grade. Upon receiving his commission, he was assigned to the Coast Guard Cutter, USCG Mohawk, which was operating in the North Atlantic. He was awarded military service ribbons for serving in the European-Middle Eastern-African campaigns.

He and his wife, Catherine (Kay), married in Boston on Oct. 20, 1945, and enjoyed 62 years of love and dedication to each other and to raising their children. In 1953, they and their first six children, moved from Brockton, Mass., to a working farm on the Holley Road in Farmington, where they have resided since. His keen interest in farming was such that the farm supplied nearly all the family’s needs.

He was a devoted communicant at Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church and a member of the Knights of Columbus. He served on the Franklin County Conservation Commission and is a past member of the Farmington Grange.

He was an avid reader. For him, the education of his children was of primary importance.

Books of all kinds were prominent on the family’s many bookshelves. He guided each child to read, discuss and debate many of the world’s most important authors. All of his children received a college education, including 10 who were awarded various degrees from the University of Maine.

He had an excellent reputation as a master finish carpenter and cabinetmaker. Many a home in the Farmington area stands today as a testimony to his craftsmanship. His greatest joys were being with his wife and being at family gatherings with his children, grandchildren and more recently, with his great-grandchildren.

He continued to study agriculture and took great pleasure in all aspects of his farm, his farm animals, the gardens and his ubiquitous flower beds which, when jonquils bloomed, brought many visitors to see the carpets of bright yellow.

He is survived by his wife, Kay; by his brother, Clifton Cullenberg of Brewster, Mass.; his 13 children; 33 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren; son, Ronald and his wife, Sharon, of Farmington and their children, Eric, Gretchen and Rhonda; daughter, Kathy Toister and her husband, Robert, of Redlands, Calif., and their son, Jeff and wife, Sally; son, David and his wife, Tina, of Lyme, N.H., and their sons, Travis and Garrett (1983 to 1997); daughter, Peg Alsup and her husband, Glen, of Newton, N.H., and their children, Cara and husband, Frank and children, Kaleigh and Quin, Cynthy and husband, Jamie, Andy and wife, Kate and children, Lia and Drew and Scott; daughter, Judy Stevens and her husband, Graydon, of Cape Elizabeth, and their children, Shana and husband, John, Lauren and Grady; daughter, Carol Cowie and her husband, John, of Glenburn, and son, Dylan Farnum and wife, Augusta and children, Henry and Clementine; and Rory Cowie; daughter, Tina Venne of Portland and her children, Erin Sullivan and son, Darien; Patrick and Molly Venne; son, Kevin and his wife, Terry, of Auburn and their daughter, Johanna; son, Mark and his wife, Becky, of Homer, Alaska, and their children, Larissa and husband, Steve and daughter, Kyndra and Briana, Byron and Myles; son, Dennis of Manchester; son, Arvid and his wife, Kelley, of Farmington and their three children, Kelton, Addie and Kahryn; daughter, Ann Roberts and her husband, Charlie, of Wilton and their children, Peter, Christine, Emily, Evan, Andrew, Charlie and Ryan; and son, Carl of Falmouth and his son, Brody.

He was predeceased by his sister, Lois Merry of Brockton.