Obituary of Shirley J. (nee Fritz) Culver

Shirley J. Culver, age 98, of South Haven, Michigan, passed away July 2nd at Brothers of Mercy Nursing Home in Clarence, NY.

Shirley was born on August 6th, 1926, in South Haven. She graduated from South Haven in 1944 and received her bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy at Western Michigan University.

Shirley’s first job was picking blueberries for the experimental station in South Haven. She started her professional career at Duke University, then returned to Michigan and met her husband Roland ‘Ron’ Culver while working at the Curative Workshop in Battle Creek. They married in 1961 and eventually moved to Manton, MI, into an A-Frame home they designed and built. After retiring in 1987 they relocated to South Haven. Shirley was a member of the Pricilla Circle at Peace Lutheran Church. She and Ron were also members of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary from 1987-1995 in South Haven.

Shirley is survived by her daughter, Mary (Robert ‘Bob’) Harder, and stepdaughter’s Jeanine McCrum and Cheryl Culver; 10 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, 4 great-great grandchildren.

Shirley was preceded in death by her husband, Roland Culver; also, by her parents William and Ruth (Hoffman) Fritz, and stepson Ronald Culver.

Family and Friends are invited to attend a visitation at 10:00 am at Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church, 06321 Blue Star Hwy, South Haven, MI. The Memorial Service begins at 11:00 am with a luncheon to follow in the Church Fellowship Hall.

Shirley will be laid to rest next to her husband in Fairview Cemetery, Manton, MI at a later date.

Flowers gratefully declined.