Warren T. Culver died on February 12, with his family by his side. He was 96.
Born January 11, 1920, the fourth of six children of Herbert R. and Katharine H. Culver, Mr. Culver was raised in Westhampton. As a young adult, he excelled as a high school wrestler, joined Boy Scouts of America—eventually becoming a Life Scout, worked one summer as a lifeguard at Westhampton Beach, raced sailboats in Moriches Bay, and worked for his father’s plumbing business and the family duck farm.
The family lived through the Great Depression, and out of those circumstances emerged a young man of Christian faith displaying steadiness, strength, confidence, and unshakable belief in the value of hard work and affinity for one’s fellow man, which Dr. Culver attributed to the lifelong example set by his mother and father.
Surrounded by positive influences and loving family, he decided to study medicine. He began his undergraduate education at Maryville College in Tennessee, and it was there he met Katherine Ann Garvin. Graduating cum laude from Maryville, he was accepted at the Long Island College of Medicine (now part of the State University of New York system). While in medical school, he and Ms. Garvin married in July 1944.
Graduating in 1946, Dr. Culver entered military active duty as a physician, spending a total of 26 years serving his nation in the United States Air Force and becoming a board-certified ophthalmologist. He served as chief flight surgeon and commanded several USAF hospitals.
His career included flying in B-29s as a flight surgeon with USAF Hurricane Hunters while stationed at Kindley Field in Bermuda. As chief of ophthalmology at the School of Aviation Medicine, Randolph AFB, he also participated in the testing of the first hydrogen (atmospheric) bomb detonated by this nation at Johnson Island, evaluating its ophthalmic effects. While stationed at Norton AFB, he examined and treated the eyes of former President Dwight Eisenhower. During the course of his career he cared for the eye health of thousands of military men and women at Air Force hospitals within the United States and overseas.
Following retirement from active duty in 1968 as a colonel, commanding the USAF hospital in Topeka, Kansas, he and his wife bought a home in Lawrence, Kansas, where he opened a private medical practice. He served the needs of Lawrence and surrounding communities as an ophthalmologist for the next 17 years, retiring from private practice in 1985.
Dr. Culver continued service to the community by delivering, with his wife, Meals on Wheels for 15 years, as well as serving as a hospice volunteer for many years. He brought comfort and peace to dying individuals and to dying World War II aviators struggling with events of a long-ago war, he brought the perspective and the comfort of a military flight surgeon. Dr. Culver was named Hospice Volunteer of the Year during his period of service.
As a life-long Christian and former Sunday School teacher, Dr. Culver and his wife both joined the First United Methodist Church in Lawrence, supporting its missions, as well as engaging in philanthropic efforts outside of church.
A man dedicated to a life of service as senior military officer, physician, and humanitarian, he would say that his greatest accomplishment was winning the love of his wife.
Dr. Culver is survived by his wife, Katherine; his children, Ronald and wife Leigh of Arizona, Lee and wife Martha of Georgia, Barbara of Kansas, Warren Jr. of Florida, and James and wife Mona of Arizona; grandchildren, Coleen, Jason, Barry, Katherine, Kacey, Warren and Kaylee; great-grandchildren, Nicholas, Ryan, Holly and Chloe; and a sister, Marian Phillips of Westhampton. He was predeceased by his parents, Herbert and Katharine; sister Amy Terry; brothers, Arthur, Hallock and Herbert.
Funeral services were conducted by Chapel Oaks Funeral Home in Lawrence.
on Feb 29, 2016