Herbert Lewis Culli, 88, died 11:04 p.m. June 12, 2005, at Jerseyville Manor Nursing Home after an extended illness.

He was born July 4, 1916, in Mt. Vernon, a son of the late John and Elsie (Stanley) Culli. His mother, Elsie, died during the delivery process and his father later married her sister, Bessie, and he was lovingly raised by the two.

Mr. Culli was raised in Mt. Vernon and graduated from Mt. Vernon Township High School. After serving with the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, he returned to Mt. Vernon and remained there until December 1960, when he moved his family to Brighton, where he began working in construction. After a few years, he began working at Southwestern High School in Plasa in maintenance and retired from Central Hardware in Alton, where he worked until the store’s closing.

He married the former Verda C. Willmore Nov. 3, 1945, in Hendersonville, Ky., and they have shared the past 59 years together.

In addition to his wife, surviving are a son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Cindy Culli of Pasadena, Texas; a daughter and son-in-law, Patricia and John Peipert of Brighton; five grandchildren, Brian Keith Culli, currently working in Iraq, Aaron Lewis Culli of Pasadena, Texas, Daniel Lee Culli of Houston, Texas, John Peipert of Godfrey and Shawna Crawford of Jerseyville; 10 great-grandchildren; a sister, Ruth Birkhimer of Mt. Vernon; a brother and sister-in-law, Harry and Mary Ruth Culli of Mt. Vernon; and a sister-in-law, Leona Culli of Creve Couer.

Preceding him in death was a brother, Kenneth Culli, and a sister and brother-in-law, Cora Bernice “Snooks” and Art Joy.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Crawford Funeral Home in Jerseyville, where funeral services will be conducted 10 a.m. Friday. Dr. Ken Morgan will officiate. Graveside services will be conducted 2 p.m. Friday at Mt. Vernon Memorial Gardens, where military services will be conducted. Memorials may be given to Disabled American Veterans. For more information, you may contact Crawford Funeral Home, 1308 State Highway 109, Jerseyville, IL 62052 at 498-9844.

Source: Register-News
Date: June 16, 2005
Submitted by: Robert W. Loman