Darlene M. Culp

Darlene M. Culp of Fairbury passed away surrounded by family and love on March 5, 2021.  Darlene was a devoted and beloved wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, teacher, and friend.

Darlene was born September 6, 1928, on the Woods Brothers Ranch near Daykin to Alvin R. Kelch and Ruth (Zabel) Kelch. Darlene was the oldest of four girls: Doris Culp, Lillian Meyer, and JoAnn Heidemann.

Darlene resided in Jefferson county her entire life.  She graduated from Fairbury High School in 1945, later graduated from the Fairbury Junior College in 1965, and graduate from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln in 1970.

Darlene taught elementary school for over 38 years until her retirement in May 1995. She began her teaching career in one and two-room rural schools and taught her last 23 years with Fairbury Public Schools (District 8) as a first and fifth grade teacher.

Darlene was a member of several organizations including Delta Kappa Gamma, Retired Teachers Associations, and Eastern Star.  She was an active member of the United Methodist Church in Fairbury where she taught Sunday School and belonged to the Magdalene church group for approximately 40 years.

Darlene met John H. Culp in 1947 and married on January 1, 1949, and welcomed four children: Karen, Jean, James, and Terri.

Darlene loved teaching and her students.  Throughout her 38 years of teaching, she touched the lives of over 600 students.  She spent hours tutoring students and family members to help them achieve their goals.  She will be remembered for her unconditional love of her family and friends and loved spending time with her family especially her nine grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.  Darlene enjoyed spoiling her grandchildren and would spend hours talking with them and loved being part of their lives.  She enjoyed writing and documenting all of their achievements and kept a closet full of scrapbooks of family members and friends filled with pictures, news clipping, and accomplishments to celebrate each of them.

Darlene enjoyed spending time gardening, canning, planting, and growing flowers.  She loved reading, sewing, crafting, puzzles, and enjoyed raising and caring for her birds.

Darlene was an amazing woman, a doting mother and grandmother, who was an important part of her family and friends' lives and will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Darlene was preceded in death by her parents, husband John H. Culp, daughter Karen K. Culp and her sister Lillian J. Meyer.

Darlene is survived by her sister Doris Culp of Fairbury and JoAnn Heidemann of Elkhorn;

children Jean and husband Larry Naiman of rural Hebron; daughter Terri and husband Dan Sargent of Lewiston; son James Culp of Lincoln; her nine grandchildren and their families: Stacey Dvorak; Kellie Abood; Jason Naiman; Angie Agena; Michelle Reinke; Amber Sargent; Lindsey Brown; Shawna Lowe; and Crystal Walter; and 22 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, March 11, 2021, at 1 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Fairbury.  Burial in the Fairbury Cemetery. Gerdes-Meyer Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.