Donald E. Culp

DONALD E. CULP AUGUST 5, 1924 - FEBRUARY 14, 2022 DONALD E. CULP, SON OF JAMES E. CULP AND CLARA MAUDE SITTER CULP WAS BORN AUGUST 5, 1924 IN ANNA ILLINOIS. SURVIVED BY 7 CHILDREN. KAY CULP(TERRY)PUTTY, JEFF (CANDY)CULP, MICHAEL (GLORIA)CULP, MARCIA CULP (FRANK) DURO, DUANE (LYANA) CULP, JANIE CULP (KURT) FEINE, TODD (STEFFANIE) CULP. UPON GRADUATION DON ENLISTED FOR SERVICE IN THE ARMY AIRCORP IN 1942. THERE HE LEARNED TO FLY AND WAS A PART OF THE TEAM ON A B24 BOMMER, HIS POSITION WAS NOSE GUNNER OPERATIING THE M2 MACHINE GUN IN THE TURRET. UPON RETURNING TO REGULAR CIVILIAN LIFE HE RETURNED TO ANNA JONESVILLE AND ATTENDED A BARN DANCE, WHERE HE MET THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE IN DELORES CASPER, SHE WAS THE DAUGHTER OF FRANCIS AND CARRIE CASPER THAT OWNED THE LOCAL DRY CLEANERS IN GOREVILLE, HER FATHER WAS A TAILOR…TRAINED IN CHICAGO ILLINOIS…THEIR LOVE AND DEDICATION TO US KIDS AND TO EACH OTHER WAS AMAZING TO EXPERIENCE. A FEW YEARS AFTER THEY MARRIED AND SETTLED DOWN IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS DAD WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT. HE WAS INSURED BY ALLSTATE, THE CLAIMS ADJUSTER CAME DOWN FROM CHICAGO AND SUBMITTED THE REPORT. AS IS CUSTOMARY, DAD WAS SENT A COPY OF THE SUBMITTED REPORT. THE SAID REPORT WAS ‘NOT AT ALL WHAT DAD FELT ACTUALLY HAPPENED. SO, THOSE OF YOU WHO KNEW DON…HE SAT DOWN AND WROTE OUT WHAT HE KNEW TO BE EXACTLY HOW THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED. IT ENDED UP IN THE HANDS OF THE PRESIDENT OF ALLSTATE AT THAT TIME. THE PRESIDENT TOOK IT TO EXECUTIVE TEAM AND SAID "IF ALL OF YOU CLAIMS ADJUSTORS WROTE UP CLAIMS LIKE THIS GUY…WE WOULD BE SO FAR AHEAD OF THE GAME IT WILL MAKE YOUR HEAD SPIN. GET IN CONTACT WITH THIS GUY, I WANT HIM OFFERED A JOB IN CLAIMS. FAST FORWARD, THE DONALD CULP FAMILY WHICH NOW INCLUDED 2 CHILDREN MOVED A LITTLE HOUSE IN FRANKFORT ILLINOIS AND THEN ONCE AGAIN TO LOCKPORT ILLNOIS AND DAD BEGAN TO COMMUTE TO CHICAGO. A FUN FACT ABOUT DONALD CULP (THE EARLY YEARS) IN THE 1960'S THE BILLY GRAHM CRUSADE WAS COMING TO CHICAGO THEY NEEDED A LOCAL PERSON TO TAKE ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF RECRUITING AND TRAINING THE COUNSLERS WHO TOOK CARE OF THE PERSONS COMING FORWARD DURING THE INVITATION. DAD'S NAME CAME UP IMMEDIATELY. HE WAS ACTIVE IN OUR CHURCH IN JOLIET…AND ALSO ACTIVE WITH PACIFIC GARDEN MISSION IN CHICAGO AND MOODY BIBLE INSTITUTE. BILLY GRAHM WAS IN CHICAGO 2 TIMES IN THE 60'S AND DAD WAS CHOSEN FOR THE ROLE BOTH TIMES. ONE MORE FUN FACT ABOUT OUR TIME IN LOCKPORT, WE WENT TO JUDSON BAPTIST CHURCH IN JOLIET WHERE BOTH MOM AND DAD TAUGHT SUNDAY SCHOOL. BY THIS TIME US TWINS WERE BORN…SO NOW THERE ARE 4. THERE WERE 2 BAPTIST CHURCHES IN THE JOLIET AREA, ONE WHITE CONGREGATION AND THE OTHER BLACK. THEY HAD CERTAIN THINGS FROM TIME TO TIME THAT THEY WOULD DO THINGS TOGETHER…LIKE SPECIAL SPEAKERS OR MUSIC GROUPS. DAD GOT THE IDEA THAT IT WOULD BE NICE TO ENCOURAGE SOME MORE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE 2 CONGREGATIONS. HE SUGGESTED THAT TWICE A YEAR THE CHURCHES SWITCH PASTORS AND CONGREGATIONS. FROM MY MEMORIES IT WENT WELL….BUT A FEW YEARS LATER DAD WAS OFFERED THE HEAD OF CLAIMS POSITION IN FREEPORT ILLINOIS. HE ACCEPTED. AS THE DON CULP FAMILY MOVED TO THE F. A. READ HOUSE (LOOKS A LOT LIKE BLUE BLOODS…. DINING ROOM AND ALL). HE IS PROCEEDED IN DEATH BY HIS PARENTS, HIS BELOVED WIFE DOLORES CASPER CULP, SISTERS AND BROTHERS LEOLA CULP YOUNG, DIXON ILLINOIS, HESTER MAY, ANNA ILLINOIS, DELMAR CULP, INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA, WILLIAM WAYNE CULP, ANNA ILLINOIS, ROSELLA CULP ORTGEISEN, DIXON ILLINOIS, MAXINE CULP GIRTMAN, LAKE OF EGYPT ILLINOIS, PAULINE CULP BOEHLE, AMBOY ILLINOIS, DORIS DEAN CULP, ANNA ILLINOIS, VERA CULP HECKMAN, STERLING ILLINOIS AND ATHLEN CULP SULLIVAN, ST. LOUIS MO. Cemetery Details Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens 2514 IL-26 Freeport, IL 61032 Loading map Previous Events Visitation FEB 26. 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM (CT) Park Hill Evangelical Free Church 2525 W Stephenson St Freeport, IL 61032 Loading map Service FEB 26. 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM (CT) Park Hill Evangelical Free Church 2525 W Stephenson St Freeport, IL 61032 Loading map