John F. Cullinane

John F. Cullinane of Amesbury MA, formerly of Somersworth and Exeter NH, died Thursday,September 17, 2026 at Portsmouth Hospital, Portsmouth, NH. He was 82.

Born in Rochester, NH, the son of Michael and Olivine (Beauchemin) Cullinane, John grew up in Somersworth. He graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a major in Political Science and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. He earned a Masters Degree at the University of California, Berkeley and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Connecticut.

John practiced law in Somersworth with his brother Robert and friend Clyde Coolidge. John moved his family to Exeter, NH to continue his practice with Scammon and Gage and later started his own practice. Following a growing concentration in business law and trusts John joined the Exeter Banking Company as Chief Trust Officer. He continued his career as Senior Trust Officer at the Androscoggin Bank in Auburn, ME. He retired in 2009 after serving as President and CEO of First Financial Trust in Newton.

John was also a dedicated instructor, teaching business law, economics and other night courses at New Hampshire College. He was well-regarded by his students for his clarity of presentation of the complex subjects and for his enthusiasm and knowledge.

John was an avid runner participating in hundreds of events over the decades. His drive and perseverance was tested when, at retirement, he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Undergoing a stem cell transplant early after its onset, John successfully battled his cancer for more than fifteen years, enjoying an excellent quality of life and eleven winning Patriots seasons while in the outstanding care of his physicians at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

He cherished sharing life with his beloved wife Elva and family. He treasured watching the Patriots with his son Jamie and loved spending time with his grand dogs. His family holds countless special memories of spending summer vacations in the NH mountains and winters learning to ski. He was a wonderful friend to so many. He will be greatly missed and lovingly remembered by all who knew him.

John is survived by his loving wife of fifty-seven years, Elveraine Cullinane; their son Christopher and wife Caroline and grandchildren Caitlin and Catherine; son Jamie and wife Taylor and grandchildren Harrison, Lincoln and Carter; daughter Bethany and husband Benjamin Pajak and grandchildren Caleb and Alexander, and by his brother Robert Cullinane.

At John’s request, no memorial is scheduled. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.