Nathan Wade McCullough, 46, of Des Moines, died Wednesday, December 22, 2021, at his home in Des Moines.
Born October 20, 1975, in Burlington, he was the son of Michael Edward and Rebecca Anne Adolphs McCullough.
He was a 1994 graduate of Burlington High School.
Nathan worked all over the country, from selling magazines, working as a massage therapist in California, to working in National Parks. He worked at Dollar Tree. He was also a very talented free lance artist.
He was a member of the First Congregational Church, Sierra Club and the Iowa Brain Injury Alliance of Iowa. Nathan won the Governor's Scholarship for participating in the Art Study Program at Iowa State in 8th Grade and won the Snake Alley Cobble Climb. He loved playing Cribbage, making bracelets, necklaces, wood working and making art in every way possible. He also enjoyed being outdoors, mountain biking, skate boarding, hiking, camping, back packing, and traveling around the country by bus, train and automobile. He loved coffee and managed Bruder's Coffee House for his dad for a couple years. Many of these activities he couldn't do after sustaining three traumatic brain injuries. He continued his art and had a month art show at the Burlington Art Center in May of 2021.
Survivors include his parents; one sister, Heather Dawn (Troy) Smith of Burlington; step nephew & niece, Taylor (Frances) and Shania; two great step nephews, Mateo and Bentley; five aunts, Barb Breuer, Mary (Don) Taeger, Connie (Ted) Vanloon, Jeanne (David) Patterson, Karen McCullough; and many cousins.
He was preceded in death by his maternal and paternal grandparents, Margaret McCaulley Adolphs, Alvin Adolphs, Carita Knuths McCullough, and Arthur McCullough; four uncles, Alvin Breuer, John McCullough, Floyd Dyas, and Arlo Adolphs; two aunts, Janet Adolphs Downing, Carita Dyas; and numerous cousins.
Cremation has been entrusted to the care of Prugh Crematory.
Visitation with the family to receive friends will be Saturday, January 15, 2022 from noon until 2:00 PM at Prugh~Thielen Funeral Home.
The Celebration of Life for Mr. McCullough will be 2:00 PM Saturday, January 15, 2022 at Prugh~Thielen Funeral Home with Pastor Jim Francisco officiating. Burial will be in Keokuk National Cemetery at a later date.
The family would like to extend their appreciation to all of Nate's caregivers in Carbondale, IL, Iowa City, IA, Cedar Rapids, IA, and Des Moines, IA.
In lieu of flowers memorials have been established for the ArtScapes Program at the Burlington Art Center for disabled and disadvantaged students and Burlington Building Bridges.
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