May 16, 1938 – October 20, 2023
Our father and grandfather, Robert “Bob” Culp passed away Friday October 20th, 2023. He died peacefully in his home of 62 years in Elverta, California. Dad was born May 16th, 1938 in Wagoner, OK to Bertha Odell and Harry Israel Culp. He was one of eight children. At age four, his mother passed away while milking a cow. At age seven, the family suffered another loss with the death of his father. Dad and three of his siblings were forced to live in an orphanage for the next five years. When Dad was twelve he came to Sacramento, CA to live with his brother Harry and his family.
While attending Grant Union High School, during his freshman year, he met his future wife and sweetheart Ida LaRue Bates. Dad used to tell us children he fell in love with Mom when they first met and he would have married her on the spot. They were a little young. Dad was patient.
Dad and Mom(LaRue) were finally married on March 20, 1959, and were later sealed for time and all eternity in 2000 at the Oakland Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were blessed with six children–Sandie (Steve), Westley (Barbara), Janna (Steven), Rob (Kathryn), Andrew (Shawna), and Francene. They also welcomed numerous young people in need of a place to stay into their home for extended periods of time.
Dad spent his career in the building industry. He worked as a framer for Streng Brothers, he also spent time working with his brother Harry in road construction, and worked as the operations manager at Sacramento A1 Door for most of his employment years. He ended his career as the operations manager at Western Building Specialties before retiring. During his early adult life, he also volunteered as a Fireman for the Elverta Fire Department.
When Dad was not at work he was home on the property farming and gardening. Dad was driven to be outside in his barns, fields, and garden. He saw it as self-sustaining purposeful work. He instilled his hard-working ethics in all of his posterity.
In the late 1960s, he received his first weaner pig from his father-in-law as a joke. That joke that started with one pig became a long-time endeavor, as Dad went on to raise and sell hundreds of weaner pigs. At one time, his number of pigs topped out at over 800. As the years went by he phased out weaner pigs and began selling butcher hogs. Bob engineered a functioning small butcher house on his property. Eventually, due to age and health restrictions, he transitioned to chicken and duck farming where he raised and sold laying hens, their eggs, and fryers. As more years and time passed he retired from poultry farming as well. He only kept a few laying hens so that he could still have farm-fresh eggs for himself and his family.
Dad was an active parent. He ran a campaign and was elected to the Center Joint Unified School Board. He also coached little league baseball for all three of his boys. As a family, we spent many years involved in sports and our Dad was always our “coach”.
In June of 2011, LaRue’s health began declining and Dad became her caregiver. With help from the family, he cared for his sweetheart until her passing in June of 2018. They were married just shy of 60 years.
Bob is preceded in death by his “Sweet Pea” Ida LaRue, his parents Bertha and Harry, and siblings Leon, Harriet (Hudson), Harry(Ann), Dixie(Chester), and Jerry. Also preceding him in death is his sweet granddaughter Desirae Elaine Culp and a son-in-law Steven Lloyd. He is survived by his sister Ruby and brother George, 6 children, 17 grandchildren, and 32 great-grandchildren with one more coming in December.
Thank you for all of your love, support, and condolences on behalf of the Robert Culp family. Our hearts are full of sadness and grief but also of gratitude as we know our Dad and grandfather has been reunited with his sweetheart.
“Happy Trails…” until we meet again.
Funeral Services are as follows:
-A viewing will be at the Price Funeral Home(6335 Sunrise Blvd. Citrus Heights, 95610), on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, 5-7 p.m
-The memorial services will be at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (8583 Watt Avenue, Elverta Ca. 95626) on Thursday, October 26, 2023, 9-9:45 a.m. (viewing) 10 a.m.(program).
-The interment will follow immediately after the services at the nearby Union City Cemetery.