Dorothy Culp

Dorothy Feller Culp passed away on February 5, 2015 at 82 years of age. Dorothy was born to Dan and Florence (Huntwork) Feller in Pueblo, Colorado, in 1932. The family moved to Durango in 1946 and purchased land in the Animas Valley north of Durango, which later became known as the Feller farm. She helped pick strawberries, trenched celery, fed chickens, cows and pigs and helped with many other tasks on farm. She loved farm life. She attended Durango High School, graduating as valedictorian of the Class of 1950.
She married Raymond Kelly in Durango in 1951 and worked at Fort Lewis College on the Hesperus campus before they moved to Tacoma, Washington, where their children, Lonne and Scott were born. While in Tacoma, Dorothy worked for Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company. The family returned to Durango in 1961. Dorothy enjoyed caring for her family by baking homemade bread, until her son asked if he could please have some Holsom store-bought bread. She sewed many of her own as well as her children’s' clothing and was an expert seamstress. She believed in the power of prayer and her daughter credits her prayers for saving her from many, but not all, of her falls from grace. Her daughter believes that she continues to intercede on her behalf, as well as others, and hopes that her position in heaven awards her with an even better prayer vantage point! The marriage to Mr. Kelly ended in divorce in 1971 and she married Gerald Culp on September 5, 1981.
Dorothy worked for the Vanadium Corp. of America in Durango, and then for private attorneys and the District Attorney before going to work for the Colorado Judicial Department in 1972. She retired as District Court Administrator for the Sixth Judicial District of Colorado in 1994. Retirement years allowed time for travel, gardening (both indoors and out), crafts and just enjoying the bird and animal life in her Falls Creek mountain home. She was known to get entirely too close to bears in order to take photographs when they visited on the second story deck. She loved her Lord, family and friends and enjoyed spending time with her family. In later years she crocheted many an afghan and numerous baby blankets for her expanding family. She was active in her church through the years and lived a life of unwavering faith.
She is survived by her husband, Gerald Culp, children Lonne Bailey of Bedford, VA and Scott (Tammy) Kelly of Milton, GA. Grandchildren (Lonne and Arlan (d.)): Cherith (Ray) Velez of New York, NY, Shaunalee (Matthew) Forbes of Providence Forge, VA, and Elijah (Jodi) Bailey of Christiansburg, VA. Grandchildren (Scott and Tammy): Dustin (Jessica) Franklin of Iowa City, IA, Josh Kelly of Kennesaw, GA, and Mariah Kelly of Milton, GA. Also surviving are her brothers: David (Karen) Feller and Robert Feller of Durango and Daniel Feller of Globe, AZ. Sisters: Virginia (Sterling) Schaaf of San Antonio, TX and Sue (Carl) Henderson of Aztec, NM, as well as great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Dorothy also had step children, Bill (Sharon) Culp of Parker, CO, Chuck (Julie) Culp of Carlsbad, CA, Carolyn (Gary) Adams of Woodland Park, CO, and Tim (Cindy) Culp of North Wales, PA, and numerous step grandchildren and great-grandchildren who she considered her own.
Dorothy became a Christian in 1947 and enjoyed being a part of God's Family. Services will be held on February 16, 2015, at 10 A.M. At First Southern Baptist Church, 1715 W. Second Avenue, Durango, Colorado with Pastor Clyde Johnson officiating. Memorial contributions can be made to First Southern Baptist Church.