Tullio graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, on a football scholarship, and received a master's degree in education from Boston University.
Tullio was diagnosed with amyloidosis, a rare disease that also struck then-Pittsburgh mayor Richard Caliguiri[2] and then-Pennsylvania governor Robert P. Casey.
In 1987 Tullio felt ill and mentioned his symptoms to Mayor Caliguiri, who told him to be tested for amyloidosis.
[3] Despite his illness, which forced him to cut back on his workload and schedule, Tullio stayed in office and did not appoint an acting mayor until November 12, 1989, shortly before the end of his term.
In 1971 he married the former Grace E. Gunster of Ridgewood, N.J. Tullio had three daughters – Betty Ann Eiswert, Marilyn Lou Krahe, and June Pintea, as well as ten grandchildren.