Celia Rhodes Cole Culpepper

Celia Rhodes Cole Culpepper, 76, of Clinton, MS, died Sunday April 27, 2014. Visitation will be held on Tuesday from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Wright and Ferguson in Clinton and again on Wednesday at 10:00 am followed by services at 11:00 am at First Baptist Church in Clinton. Burial will follow in Lakewood Memorial Park.

Mrs. Culpepper was born February 25, 1938 in Belzoni, MS to the late, John Charles and Alpha Omega Rhodes Cole. She attended school in Skene, MS, Greenville, MS, and Harlingen, TX before graduating from Cleveland High School in 1956 and then attending Millsaps College. She was married to her husband of nearly 56 years, Malcolm Wicks Culpepper, Sr. at the Pace United Methodist Church in Pace, MS on June 29, 1958. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Clinton where she worked in the kitchen serving on Wednesday nights for 18 years. She worked at the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol then the Clinton Public schools as a teacher’s aide and Transportation and Maintenance Office Secretary before retiring on June 30, 1999.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother-in-law, Henry Royce Culpepper, Jr. and a sister-in-law, Rebecca Jo “Becky” Clark Culpepper. She is survived by her husband, Malcolm Wicks Culpepper, Sr., her son, Malcolm Wicks “Mac” Culpepper, Jr. and his wife Donna Jo Malone Culpepper and their children, Macy Grace Culpepper and Joey Noel Culpepper; her daughter, Melea Cole Culpepper Stewart and her husband Alan Albert Stewart and their children, Shannon Melea Stewart and Cole Alan Stewart; her daughter, Sally Rhodes Culpepper; her daughter, Melissa Lee “Missa” Culpepper Turman and her husband Grady O’Neil Turman, Sr. and their children, Grady O’Neil Turman, Jr. and Darby Lee Turman. She is also survived by a sister-in-law, Peggie Culpepper of Mt. Juliet, TN, one niece, DeMoyne Kay Culpepper and three nephews, Henry Royce “Rick” Culpepper, III, Bruce Davidson Culpepper, Mathew Wallace Culpepper, and special friend and caregiver Vina Burkett.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Blair E. Batson or other charity of your choice.