Katherine Culbertson
September 16, 1926 - October 9, 2023
Katherine Culbertson passed away Monday, October 9,2023 at the Phillips County Retirement Center. Francis Katherine Culbertson was born in Willacy County, Texas to Wilburn Frank and Cora May (Wheelock) Brownfield.
Katherine met L. Kent Culbertson while attending college, on a blind date, while he was serving in the Army Air Corps. They were married after the war on December 24,1945 in her parents’ home. Kent served some additional time in the Army before they returned home to Long Island, Kansas.
Katherine was very involved locally with different organizations. Katherine started the Christmas Is Sharing program and helped with the local food pantry. She was a member of the library board and worked very diligently in getting the new library building built, and went on to serve on the state library board.
Katherine was a proud supporter of the local hospital and served with the local hospital auxiliary and was elected President of the Kansas Hospital Auxiliary Association. She also was one of the early supporters of Hospice and was always at the annual fundraiser to greet attendees and make announcements.
Katherine was very involved with the United Presbyterian church teaching Sunday School and serving on the Session.
Katherine was elected President and to the Board of Directors of The First National Bank & Trust after her husband’s death in 1976. She worked at the bank until her retirement in 1991.
Katherine’s biggest joy was reading to elementary children at school. “Granny” read to classes and worked with individual students to advance their reading skills.
Katherine was preceded in death by her husband L. Kent Culbertson, her brother John Brownfield and her parents Frank and Cora May Brownfield.
She is survived by her daughters Countess (Greg) Merten of Marshall, Va., Robin Gillan (Dale) of Payson, Az. And Gay (Jon) Taylor of Brevard, N.C., her son Lloyd (Deanna) Culbertson of Phillipsburg, eight grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.
Services will be Monday, October 16 at 10:00 a.m. at the United Presbyterian Church in Phillipsburg, Kansas with Rev. Darlene Nonhof and Joel Hiesterman presiding.
Memorials have been established with Hospice Services and the L. Kent Culbertson Scholarship Fund.