Virginia Anna Culver

Virginia Anna Culver passed away January 1, 2015 after a short bout of pneumonia at the Nisqually Valley Care Center in McKenna, Washington, where she resided for the past year. She was 97 years old. Virginia was born August 30, 1917 in Egan, South Dakota to Alice and Arthur Cooper. She graduated from Rapid City High School in South Dakota in 1935. She married Howard R. Culver at Custer, South Dakota in 1938. They would spend their honeymoon on Harney Peak Lookout Station in South Dakota where Howard was a Forest Ranger. While Howard was away serving in the Merchant Marines, Virginia lived in California, working as a telephone operator and later, during the war, as a crew boss at the shipyards in Oakland; she grew tired of the city and went to work for the Sammis Ranger Station in north Idaho, where her duties included telephone operator, dispatcher and cook. She described this time at the ranger station as “one of the most delightful experiences of her life.” After the war, Virginia and Howard settled in north Idaho on a ranch near Bonners Ferry where they resided for several years. Howard’s work would take them to Washington, Texas, Louisiana, Oregon and Alaska. Virginia had many jobs during her life, including drug store clerk, theater usher, cook, and contributing writer for local newspapers wherever she lived. She was a cook on the Alaska Ferry Lines, and at the Ketchikan General Hospital in Alaska; she also cooked for construction crews when Howard worked at Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska. She was famous for her pies and homemade bread. Virginia was an avid reader, gardener, prolific writer and scrap booker. She loved nature and all types of wildlife and birds. She had a keen wit and natural curiosity about the world around her. She chronicled her life of adventures and discoveries in books she wrote for her family. She was known to her great grandchildren as “GG,” and nicknames included “Gin” and “Ginger.” Virginia is survived by her half-brother, Wyman Richards, Kennewick, Washington; and four children: Terry Culver and wife Patti, Columbia, Missouri; Cathie Alonzo, Yelm, Washington; Cheryl Culver, Anchorage, Alaska; and Karen Parsons and Ron, Yelm, Washington. She is survived by six grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a baby brother, Arthur Wallace, in 1920; and a sister, Elizabeth, in 1924; her brother, Richard Sherwin in 1940; her mother, Alice in 1987; her father, Arthur in 1968; her stepfather, Harry in 1970; and her husband, Howard in 1995. Virginia requested that there be no formal memorial service. Her family will gather in the spring to share memories and celebrate her life. In lieu of flowers family and friends can remember Virginia with donations to the National Wildlife Federation. Special thanks to the caregivers at the Nisqually Valley Care Center. Please leave memories of Virginia or condolences for her family in the Guestbook below.