Bethany Watkins Culley

Bethany Watkins Culley, 75, passed away Friday June 15, 2012 at Hospice Ministries. Funeral services will be 12 Noon Monday June 18, 2012 at Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home on Highland Colony Parkway in Ridgeland preceded by visitation at 9:00 am. Burial will be in Parkway Memorial Cemetery.

She was born in Jackson, MS on November 12, 1936 to her parents Henry Vaughan Watkins and Frances Tapley. She attended Duling Elementary, Bailey Junior High School and Central High. She attended Millsaps where she was a Chi Omega and graduated from Vanderbilt in 1958 with a BA in liberal arts.

She married Lewis Culley in 1960 and they moved to Madison and together developed Natchez Trace Village. She loved the outdoors, riding her beloved Tennessee Walking horses, hunting and fishing. She was a member of the Junior League of Jackson, a charter member of the Rebecca Cravat Chapter of the DAR holding many local and state chairmanships and offices and also of the MS Society of the Children of the American Revolution as a state and local leader. She was past president of the Heirloom Antique Club and the Jackson Stitchery Club. She was a 20 year member of the Annandale Quilters. She was an avid golfer for many years making a hole in one at the Old Jackson Country Club and winning the 9 hole championship at the Colonial Country Club where she and Lewis were members for many years. She was a proud member of the Jackson Association of Realtors for over 30 years and a past president of the MLS and the Womens Council of Realtors

Mrs. Culley was preceded in death by her husband Lewis Leron Culley and her parents.

She is survived by her children Bethany Culley and Lewis Leron Culley III (Nancy); grandchildren, Culley Harless, Julia Frances Harless, Elizabeth Flinn Harless and Jackson Vaughan Culley; brothers Henry Vaughan Watkins (Mary) and William McDonald Watkins (Reba); step-brothers and sisters, Ben N. Walker III, Rita J. Walker, Cindy W. Stroud, Sylvia W. Waterston and Gwen W. Johnson; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Donations may be made to Christ United Methodist Church building fund or your favorite charity

Pallbearers will be, Dr. Kermit Harvey, Scott Alper, Clay McGehee, Scott McGehee, Harry Day, Tripp Arnold, Bray Watkins and Walt Moses.