Elizabeth Culver Bolam

of Culpeper, beloved mother, grandmother and

great grandmother, died December 1, 2013, at

home. She was born May 14, 1915 in Washington,

D.C. to Helen Josephine Harlow and Ross Tompkins

Elliott. She grew up with her siblings in

Riverton, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. She

graduated from Western High School in Washington, D.C., and she

met and married German Pierce Culver, a 1935 West

Point graduate. She traveled all over with her

husband and children, and was widowed in 1953

while stationed in Japan. She moved to

Arlington, Virginia with her children, Priscilla

Jones, Jodi Casamo, Becky Clark and Gerry

Culver, and in 1957 she met and married Cecil Austen

Bolam, a1938 Annapolis graduate, bringing in

another three girls to the family, Susan Bolam,

Linda Corcoran and Carol Gordon. The family

traveled from Virginia to California, to Rhode

Island and eventually back to Virginia. She was

widowed once again in 1966. She subsequently

welcomed two more girls as part of the family, Elise Strickland and

Judy Moore.

Betty, as her friends called her, or Teena or

Ani as her family called her, was such a

versatile and accomplished person. She loved

playing golf up through her sixties, did

extensive handwork, knitting, sewing, crocheting

and needlepoint. She moved to Culpeper in 1990,

living in a wonderful house that was the hub of

family holidays, reunions and family get

togethers. Entertaining was something she did

beautifully, having done so much of it as a

military wife. She gardened for hours,

planted flowers and trees and reveled in being

outdoors. A devout Catholic her entire life,

Betty attended Precious Blood in

Culpeper.

Betty is survived by all her children, 13

grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren, and one

brother, Michael Bernard Elliott.

Truly an amazing lady in every sense of

the word, Elizabeth was beautiful and always gracious. She

raised her children primarily by herself, then

helped out with all the grandkids, babysitting,

picking up from school, taking them to appointments

and helping out however she

could. She was always there for her family in

every aspect of their lives. A true matriarch, Betty was

the glue that has held the family together, creating and

preserving traditions and history, and showing

by example how to persevere no matter

the circumstances – preferably with lipstick neatly applied.

Although the loss to her family is great, her laughter, courage,

sense of humor, boundless energy, traditions, and dignity will forever remain

strong in the hearts of her family and dear friends. Her family would like to

extend a special and heartfelt thank you to those that took such good care

of Elizabeth in recent months.

The memorial service will be held at Precious

Blood Catholic Church in Culpeper on Thursday,

December 12, 2013, at 11:30. Elizabeth will later be

buried at Arlington Cemetery with her first

husband German Pierce Culver.