Ben Fisher Culp

Ben Fisher Culp, 62, of Gold Hill, passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017, at Carolinas Healthcare System—Northeast following a short battle with pancreatic cancer. A celebration of Ben’s life will begin at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 19, at Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church, where he was a faithful member and grateful servant. The Rev. Bruce Gwyn will officiate, and burial will follow in the family plot at Bethlehem United Methodist Church in Gold Hill. The Culp family will receive friends from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday in the MPUMC sanctuary. A life-long Cabarrus County resident, Ben was born in Rowan County on Oct. 1, 1954, the oldest of three children of the late Fisher Leonard Culp and Rachel Hill Culp. At the time of his death, Ben was a proud owner and president of Culp Brothers Inc., a family-owned grading and road construction business started by his father and uncles in 1960. Ben was a 1972 graduate of Mt. Pleasant High School where he played football and ran track, served as student council president and was voted senior class superlative “most leadership ability” by his classmates. He graduated from North Carolina State University in 1976 with a bachelor of science in civil engineering. A die-hard Wolfpack fan for life, Ben was partial to the color red, and his family asks that all persons attending the visitation and celebration of his life wear something red to honor Ben and his avid support of NC State. Go Wolfpack! A talented and natural Mr. Fix-it, Ben enjoyed the study of history, particularly American history, and had crisscrossed our nation from east to west and south to north (with side trips to Canada and Mexico) to visit historic monuments, hike the national parks and witness the lives of everyday people, all to help him better understand and appreciate our great country. A loving father and husband, Ben was particularly proud of his three “girls” and his son. His primary love and hobby, however, was being Papaw to his four grandbabies. What he taught them about gardening, taking in the wonders of nature while playing in the yard, and the respect commanded by the tractors and heavy equipment when he gave them rides on both are priceless memories of happier times that will keep their Papaw alive in their hearts forever. Ben is survived by his wife of 40 years, Dianne Jones Culp; three daughters, Carmen C. Sargent (Christopher); Natalie C. Whitley (Austin); and Melissa C. Hinson (Blake); a son, Adam Ben Culp; four grandchildren, Leonard Austin Whitley, Hannah Renae Sargent, Grace Michelle Whitley and Tucker William Sargent; a brother, Jay Tillman Culp (Betsy); and a sister, Janet C. Wagoner (Robin); and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins. Memorial contributions may be directed to the Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church Building Fund, PO Box 237, Mt Pleasant, NC, 28124.