Sudie Culpepper
Sudie Joetta Hartman Culpepper passed away on Thursday, June 8, 2017, in a local nursing home.
Mrs. Culpepper was born in Rossville, Ga., and grew up in the Chattanooga area and had lived in Ringgold over forty years. She attended East Side Junior High School and graduated from Central High School in 1958, where she was President of the Vagabonds Social Club. She graduated from Baroness of Erlanger Hospital School of Nursing with her RN in 1961, and was crowned Sweetheart of Baroness of Erlanger Hospital her senior year and was the captain of the basketball team.
After graduating she worked at Erlanger Hospital in surgery for 10 years. She assisted in the first open heart surgery in Chattanooga. She retired from Memorial Hospital after 40 years of service, most of which was as a member of the IV Team.
She was an active member of St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church until the church’s closing in June 2004. She worked with the youth group, served as a children’s Sunday School teacher, and was a member of the choir. She was a member of Ringgold United Methodist Church for approximately three years. Recently, she was a member of Morris Hill Baptist Church where she was active in the choir and with Mutual Hearts.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, William “Bill” Henry Culpepper Sr.; granddaughter, Cassie Culpepper; grandson, Benjamin Culpepper; and parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis (Josephine) Hartman.
She is survived by her three children: Butch (Beth) Culpepper of Ringgold, Joetta (Robert) Walters of Nashville, Mathon (Amy) Culpepper of Ringgold. She is also survived by seven grandchildren: Audrea Kate Culpepper, Nick Culpepper, Jennifer (Casey) Crisp of Rossville, Emily Walters of Hixson, Andrew Walters of Soddy Daisy, Thomas Culpepper and Matthew Culpepper of Ringgold; great-grandsons, Mike Crisp, Aiden Crisp, great-granddaughter Katie Crisp; and brother, Ben “Benny” (Judy) Hartman, of Dunlap, Tn.
The family will receive friends from 4-8 p.m. on Saturday at the East Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, 404 South Moore Road.
The funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday at the funeral home chapel with Reverend Bill Mason officiating.
The interment will follow at Hamilton Memorial Gardens Cemetery with pallbearers being Jerry Gribble, Carl Miller, Clay Hartman, Dan Hartman, Nick Culpepper, and Bart Smith. Thomas and Matthew Culpepper will serve as honorary pallbearers.
Please share your thoughts and memories at www.ChattanoogaEastChapel.com.
Sudie Culpepper