James Lee Culver

Funeral service for retired CWO2 James Lee Culver, 94, of Killeen will be at 12:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 27, 2023, at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, Killeen, followed by a Committal Service with full military honors at Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery.

James died peacefully on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, at Advent Hospital, Killeen. He was born August 16, 1929, in Tiffin, Ohio and adopted by Clorida and Flora Mae (Fleming) Culver. He was raised on a farm in Lima, Ohio and attended Shawnee High School. He first joined the Ohio State Guard in 1946 and served in the Air Force before enlisting in the Ohio National Guard’s 37th infantry division which was federalized into the U.S. Army in 1952. He continued a 26-year military career with deployments to Korea, Germany and Vietnam, retiring in Killeen, Texas. He served Bob Hope, ran field kitchens, was the lead baker and cake decorator, and supervised holiday meals. He received numerous military awards including the Army Commendation Medal, Presidential Unit Citation and Sharpshooter Award. Ever the hard worker, after retirement from the Army, he received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Mary Hardin Baylor, managed Shipley Do-Nuts and Long John Silver’s restaurants and worked civil service at Fort Hood (Cavazos).

James was married for 65 years to Janet May Bien who preceded him in death in 2021. He had seven children: Cloyd “Ricky” Culver and Roger Culver of Centralia, IL, Ruth Clark (Andy) of Montgomery, TX, Debbie Hargreaves, Stephen Culver and Mary Lou Culver of Killeen and the late Dale Culver (Christine) of Belton, Texas. He was a loving Papa and Grandpa to many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Jim loved his cats, baseball, jigsaw puzzles and historical romance novels. He was extremely competitive in cribbage and pinochle and enjoyed bowling and golf with his sons. In his later years he enjoyed traveling the country with his daughter and wife. He never stopped cooking and baking and will be fondly remembered for his German rouladen, holiday pies and his famous Army fruit bars.

A very special thank you is extended to the medical team at Advent Hospital who so lovingly cared for our father, especially Dina and Austin in the ER and Joonho, Adrienne, Sara, Victoria and Emilee on the cardiac floor. The family asks donations in his name be made to St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, Killeen.