Joseph Joe Howard Culver, Sr.

Joseph Howard Culver Sr. passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 27, 2012. He was born on the 13th of September 1932 at Brackenridge Hospital in Austin. He was the son of Chester and Anna Luthy Culver. He was married for fifty-nine years to his life-long love, Joan.

Joe attended Allan Junior High and was a 1950 graduate of Austin High School. He played center for the AHS basketball team that played in the State Championship game. Joe was equally proud of playing the tuba in the AHS band. He continued his education at the University of Texas where he would spend his entire working career, spanning five decades. During the Korean War, Joe took a break from his education, so he could finish his active military service with the United States Army. Upon completion, he obtained his BBA and his MBA. His military career continued over three decades until he retired with the rank of Colonel. As busy as he was professionally, Joe found time to coach Little Dribblers basketball and referee high school football games for over twenty years.

Joe’s career at UT included Personnel Director and Vice President of Development for the UT System. Joe found his life’s work calling when he started teaching in the McCombs School of Business. Joe was awarded the prestigious University of Texas Teacher of the Year Award in 1995. He touched and influenced more than 7,000 student’s lives and his motto was to always make a difference in their lives. Joe loved incorporating humor into his classes and always had a funny story or joke to tell to whoever would listen. His great sense of humor was with him to the end. Joe loved networking and helping his students begin their careers. Many of his former students stayed in close contact with Joe and this always made him happy.

Joe loved his family and was a very devoted husband, father and grandfather. He is survived by his wife, Joan Joy Johnson Culver; son, Joseph Howard Culver Jr. “Jay” and his wife, Merling, and his step-son, Anthonny; and son Kendall Culver and his wife, Julie, and their daughters, Sara Joy and Lauren; daughter, Karen Culver Baldwin, her husband, Lee, and her son, Joseph Cole Norman; Joe’s brother Gerald “Jerry” Culver and his wife, Esther, of Brenham, Texas; sisters-in-law, Carlon Dyess and Bethel Taft; his dear Aunt Edna Ware and cousins, Bobby and Pat Cloud and Betty Cloud Laird.

Joe had a deep religious faith and was a devoted member for over 30 years of First Southern Presbyterian Church. In his later years, he was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church. In his younger years, he was very active in the church and he always loved the people of the congregations.

In lieu of flowers, Joe and Joan have requested memorial contributions be made to the Joseph H. Culver Endowed Presidential Scholarship, established in 1996, at the University of Texas. Please mail to: The University of Texas at Austin, P.O. Box 65080, San Antonio, Texas 78265 and on the “memo line” please write: GR123.

A funeral service will be held at ten o’clock in the morning on Friday, the 1st of June 2012 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, located at 3208 Exposition Boulevard, with the Reverend Bill Clark. Full military honors will follow at Austin Memorial Park, 2800 Hancock Drive, Austin, TX.

Condolences may be sent to www.cookwaldenfuneralhome.com.