Walter G. Culverhouse

Walter Green Culverhouse, Jr., 83, passed away January 13, 2011, at Maple Ridge Nursing Home. Born in Monroe County, February 23, 1927, he served as County Extension Agent headquartered in Cartersville from 1970 until his retirement in 1985.

Walter was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Jean Low Culverhouse of Cartersville; mother, Christine Goodwyne Culverhouse of Cartersville; father, Walter Green Culverhouse, Sr. of Cartersville; and sister Harriett Nell Culverhouse, of Cartersville.

He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Carol Holden Bentley Culverhouse of Cartersville; son Jeff and daughter-in-law Jessica of Cartersville; son Greg and daughter-in-law Beth of Cartersville; four grandchildren: Charlie and wife Abbey; Ashley; John; Anne and husband Luke and a step-grandson Morgan Brown. He is also survived by two step-daughters: Trudy and son-in-law Eddie Adamson, Bradenton, Florida; Laurie Hill and partner Dan Brown, East Sussex, England and four step-granddaughters Caitlin Adamson, Josephine Hill, Isabella Hill, and Tallulah Brown; and a great-grandchild due in the spring, Anna Jo Culverhouse.

As a child in Cartersville Walter trapped and sold rabbits for school lunch money for him and his sister. He was also well known for his bicycle repair business.

Mr. Culverhouse was a member of the “Greatest Generation”, serving his country in the United States Army in the European Theatre shortly after WWII. After graduating from the University of Georgia, he was employed as a teacher in Pickens County, Georgia and as a principal at Marble Hill School. Early in his career he didn’t have a car initially and rode his bicycle all over Pickens County to visit FFA boys on their farms. He subsequently earned a Masters Degree in Agricultural Extension from the University of Georgia.

He was employed by the Cooperative Extension Service, University of Georgia for 30 years in Dalton, Gainesville, and Cartersville. During his career he touched the lives of countless boys and girls in 4H clubs and produced numerous State and National 4H winners. He loved his 4H kids like his own. He also established the Downtown Cartersville Curb Market where farmers sell locally-grown produce.

As a faculty member of the University of Georgia, Walter attended almost every home football game from 1967 until 2000. He was inducted into Epsilon Sigma Phi, a professional fraternity, in 1968, and was a member of Phi Kappa Phi academic honor society.

Gardening, working outdoors, and giving away daylilies was a passion of his life. He loved to watch things grow. Each fall he loved to eat and give away his muscadines.

Mr. Culverhouse was very civic minded and gave countless hours of his time to better his community. He also was a member and past president of the Cartersville Rotary Club, where he was a Paul Harris Fellow, charter member of the Booth Museum, past president of the University of Georgia School of Agriculture Alumni Society, honorary member of the Euharlee Farmer’s Club and a member of the Retired Men’s Club.

His church was always important to him. Mr. Culverhouse was a past deacon of Heritage Baptist Church. He was on the building committee and spent considerable time helping to build and paint the church buildings and helping landscape the church grounds.

Visitation will be held at the Owen Funeral Home, Sunday, January 16, 2011, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. A celebration of his long and fruitful life will be at Heritage Baptist Church at 1 PM, Monday, January 17th. The body will lie in state at the church from 12PM until 1PM. Burial to follow at Sunset Memory Gardens. Pall Bearers are Danny Collins, Tom McMurrain, Gary Glover, Lamar Pepper, Marvin Farrow, John Hess, Charlie Culverhouse, and John Culverhouse.

The Euharlee Farmers Club will serve as honorary pallbearers.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to Heritage Baptist Church or the Bartow County 4-H Club, 320 West Cherokee Ave., Room 112, Cartersville, Ga. 30120

Owen Funeral Home, 12 Collins Drive, Cartersville, is in charge of arrangements.