Joseph Gilbert Culton

Joseph Gilbert Culton was born on July 22, 1925 in Los Angeles, California. He left this earth to be with his Lord and beloved family members on Saturday, March 20, 2021. Joe was the son of Gilbert Martin Culton and Gera Davis Culton. He was later joined by sister, Gera Jane, and brothers Edwin and John. Joe was raised in Los Angeles where he was an active Boy Scout, and an outstanding student leader/athlete at Los Angeles High School.

He first came to the Hemet Valley as a teenager in 1941 when his Dad bought ranch property in Sage. They spent many weekends on the ranch being “city cowboys,” making lifelong friends with neighbors in the Sage area as well as Hemet.

Joe graduated from LA High in January of 1944 and along with his friends immediately went to war. He served in the Marine Corps in WWII as a Seagoing Marine on the Cruiser Phoenix in the Pacific Theater.

After the war, Joe was recruited to play football for UCLA. Joe married Metta Juan Sewell in 1946 and their first two sons, Michael and John, were born in Los Angeles. They moved to “the ranch” in Sage in 1950. Joe worked as a residential contractor in Hemet. The family moved to Hemet in 1951 where a third son, Greg, was born that year. In succeeding years two more children were added to the family: daughter Linda and son Kenyon.

From his early 20’s, Joe was an enthusiastic, active member of the Hemet community, helping coach high school football teams, serving in service clubs, spearheading amazing projects to better the community, and, of course, playing on many sports teams (He had many trophies from tennis and basketball activities). In later years, he especially loved playing basketball each morning with the “younger guys” who called the newspapers to show up at the gym on his 80th birthday.

In addition to building homes, Joe owned and operated Security Pest Control for 34 years where he trained and encouraged his operators to open their own businesses after he sold his business. Joe was married to Lorraine in 1975; they enjoyed 45 years of love and adventure.

Joseph was pre-deceased by his parents, sister Gera Jane, and his youngest son Kenyon. His remaining family includes his wife Lorraine and his children: Mike, John, Greg and Linda, and step-children Karen Doolittle Caris and Craig Doolittle, their spouses, 16 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren, and brothers Edwin and John, their wives, and 6 nieces and nephews.

There will be a memorial service at Cornerstone Church in Hemet on April 1, 2021 at 11:00AM. Reception to follow.