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William Hamilton "Boots" Cullember, 79, of Columbia and formerly of Annapolis, died of Parkinson's disease May 22 at Harmony Hall Assisted Living in Columbia.

Born in Harwood, on July 28, 1926, Mr. Cullember graduated from Annapolis High School and earned an engineering technician degree from George Washington University. During World War II, he served in the Army Air Corps in France, returning home in 1947 to marry his high school sweetheart, the former Doris L. Galloway.

Following his military service, he spent more than 30 years worked for the federal government, beginning with the Naval Engineering Experimental Station in Annapolis. He later worked for NASA on a number of satellite launches and tracking projects at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt before retiring in 1980.

He and his wife loved to travel in their Airstream trailer, taking their family through the 48 contiguous states plus Alaska and much of Canada. Following retirement, they took many excursions and cruises with members of the Boumi Temple Shrine to Europe, Hawaii and through the Panama Canal.

Mr. Cullember was a life member of Annapolis Elks Lodge 622 and a member of the Masonic Blue Lodge and Boumi Temple Shrine. An avid baseball fan, he loved the Orioles. He also enjoyed spending time with his family and watching football.

He was a former member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church and St. Martin's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Annapolis.

Mrs. Cullember died in 1995.

Surviving are his daughters, Dawn C. Hoffman of Pasadena and Cathi Cullember of Florida; two granddaughters, Krista Di Iaconi and Carrie Holibonich and two great-grandsons, Tommy and Max Di Iaconi.

Visitation is from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. tomorrow at Barranco and Sons Severna Park Funeral Home, 495 Ritchie Highway, where services will be at 11 a.m. Friday. Burial will be in Lakemont Memorial Gardens in Davidsonville.

Memorial contributions may be made to Gilchrist Center for Hospice Care, 6601 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21204, or Boumi Temple, 505 King Ave., P.O. Box 9695, Baltimore, MD 21237.

As published on 5/23/06 in The Capital Newspaper.