William Alvah Culpepper

William Alvah Culpepper passed away peacefully on July 20, 2023, surrounded by his family, at the Levine Dickson Hospice House at Southminster in Charlotte, after a short battle with pneumonia. His remains will be interred with military honors at 11:00 a.m. on October 26 at Salisbury National Cemetery, 202 Government Road in Salisbury, North Carolina, to be followed by an informal meal of North Carolina barbecue—one of William’s favorites—at the Picnic Shelter at the North Carolina Transportation Museum located at 1 Samuel Spencer Dr., Spencer, NC 28159. All friends and relatives are invited. Born on January 3, 1933, in Fort Valley, Georgia, William was preceded in death by his parents Alvah Joel Culpepper and Jewel Gassett Culpepper, and one sister, Victoria “Vicki” Culpepper Jenkins. After graduating in 1955 from Miller-Lanier High School in Macon, Georgia, he went on to graduate from the Georgia Institute of Technology, having studied Engineering and Industrial Management. At Georgia Tech he was a member of Kappa Alpha fraternity. He and Patricia Ann Middlebrooks (“Pat”) were married in 1955, and had three children, Kelly William Culpepper, Damon Alvah Culpepper, and Melanie Lynn Culpepper. A member of the Naval ROTC while at Georgia Tech, he served as a midshipman during summers aboard many ships, including the battleship USS Wisconsin (BB-64). He was on active duty from 1955 to 1958, primarily serving as communication and crypto officer aboard the USS Barton, DD-722, doing multiple cruises in the Middle East. He left the Navy as a lieutenant in 1958 but continued to serve in the reserves for many years. William was also a lifelong amateur radio aficionado and was friends with many “hams” throughout the world. His call sign was W4BZ, (formerly W4PER). He worked in RCA’s Commercial Broadcast Division in the 60’s and 70’s and later worked at New Jersey Public Broadcasting. He eventually settled in Charlotte where he started his own consulting engineering firm, William Culpepper and Associates. Well-known and respected throughout the industry, he had hundreds of clients across the US, especially throughout the southeast, and was a licensed Professional Engineer in five states. He also had ownership stakes in numerous radio stations in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. William was active for decades in organizations such as: The Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (Life Senior Member), The Association of Federal Communications Consulting Engineers, American Radio Relay League (50 Years), the Antique Wireless Association, and was a founding member of the Charlotte chapter of The Society of Broadcast Engineers. He mentored many ham radio amateurs and numerous professional engineers in the broadcasting profession. In addition, he was a devoted rail fan and passed on his fascination of railroads and trains to his children, grandchildren, and niece and nephews. He was a committed “do-it-yourself” handyman around the house, and his in-depth knowledge of cars, plumbing, and electrical systems astounded many. With his love of radio, William continued to work in his consulting business until only a few years ago. William is survived by his wife, Patricia; his children and their spouses, Kelly (Jane), Damon, and Melanie (Chris); grandchildren, Lance, Jasper, and Tess; a former daughter-in-law, Stephanie Wilhelm; and Damon’s partner, Judy Champagne. He was preceded in death by his first grandson, John Culpepper. He is also survived by his brother-in-law, Henry A. Jenkins, nephews Hal Jenkins (Merry) and Andrew Jenkins (Parrish), and niece, Susannah Jenkins. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the North Carolina Transportation Museum in William’s memory by contacting Betsy Mowery at 704-550-3715.