Iris Inez Culpepper

Female, #20059, (9 Aug 1914 - 9 Aug 1999)

Father*Darius Ivan Culpepper (15 Jul 1884 - 28 Nov 1948)
Mother*Elfie May Spencer (25 Sep 1884 - 1 Feb 1968)
Iris Inez Culpepper|b. 9 Aug 1914\nd. 9 Aug 1999|p20059.htm|Darius Ivan Culpepper|b. 15 Jul 1884\nd. 28 Nov 1948|p34686.htm|Elfie May Spencer|b. 25 Sep 1884\nd. 1 Feb 1968|p34687.htm|Francis O. Culpepper|b. 10 Mar 1856\nd. 1 May 1932|p34639.htm|Eliza J. Richardson|b. 20 Mar 1858\nd. 18 Dec 1935|p34640.htm|Carroll W. Spencer Jr.|b. May 1855\nd. 1922|p24168.htm|Lucy C. Chandler|b. say 1859|p24169.htm|

Birth*9 Aug 1914 Iris was born at Del Rio, Val Verde Co., Texas, on 9 Aug 1914.1 
 She was the daughter of Darius Ivan Culpepper and Elfie May Spencer. 
1920 Census1 Jan 1920 Avis, Iris and Lucy was listed as a daughter in Darius Ivan Culpepper's household on the 1920 Census at Wilson Co., Texas.2 
1930 Census1 Apr 1930 Avis, Iris, Lucy and Iva was listed as a daughter in Darius Ivan Culpepper's household on the 1930 Census at Uvalde, Uvalde Co., Texas.3 
SSN*between 1936 and 1950 Her Social Security Number was issued between 1936 and 1950 at Texas.1 
World War II*between 1943 and 1945 They served in World War II between 1943 and 1945
(Both Iris & Lucy enlisted in the Women's Army Corps (WACs) but later became WAFs (Women's Air Force).

In both pictures, Iris is on the left and Lucy is on the right.

Iris served in both the Pacific and European Theaters. She entered military service as soon as the war started and came home when the war was over. While she was in Japan, Iris served as an MP. When she was in Europe, she sang on the Radio Free Europe and the Voice of America Programs. Among her memorabilia is money that was used during the American occupation of Japan. (This just supplements the information that Mrs. R. Organ (Avis Joyce Culpepper) sent you in 1978.)

Lucy served from 29 Apr 44 until 30 Nov 45. Most of this service time was spent as a Classification Specialist at Will Rogers Field in Oklahoma. Several years later, the Air Force called her and asked her to come back. That time she served from 5 Oct 50 to 4 Jul 53 at Barksdale AFB, LA.).4,5,6,7
Iris & Lucy
Iris & Lucy
Residence*1978 Iris resided at San Jose, Santa Clara Co., California, in 1978. 
ResidenceAug 1999 Iris resided at San Antonio, Bexar Co., Texas, in Aug 1999.1 
Death*9 Aug 1999 She died at Atascosa Co., Texas, on 9 Aug 1999.1,8 
Obituary*say 11 Aug 1999 At age 85, she passed away on August 9 1999 on her birthday. She was born in Del Rio to D I Culpepper and Elfie Mae Spencer Culpepper, Iris used her beautiful voice in song for churches, radio and TV and other occasions. She served her county as a WAF during WWII, singing for RadioFreeEurope and Voice of America.She sang for Boyd Rallies and traveled to Germany, Switzerland and Japan with the occupational forces,as an MP.She worked for Lockheed in Sunnyvale CA, until she retired and then returned to TX. As per her wishes she was cremated and buried in Floresville TX. with her Mother and Father.7 
Burial*say 12 Aug 1999 Her body was interred say 12 Aug 1999 at Floresville City Cemetery, Floresville, Wilson Co., Texas.7 
Biography* Mrs. Joyce (Culpepper) Organ wrote 28 Jul 1978: Iris Inez is a Dr (Honorary) and Vice President of the Church of Cosmic Science in San Jose, Calif. She is a lecturer and healer (not the spectacular kind). Was born a curly-haired, blue-eyed blond, and began singing at an early age. Had her own program on the Voice of America when she was stationed with the Army of Occupation in Germnay. Sang at all special services when in Almagordo, New Mexico, and directed and sang in a WAF chorus while in Tokyo. Has now retired from Lockheed's Sunnyvale Plant (where our spy satellites are produced, only she did not tell me this. I found it out from a book by Peter Klass). Since her retirement she has bought and learned to run a printing press, which she uses for her church.
      Joyce added that Iris had been a WAC and has not married. 

Charts Descendants of John Thomas Jefferson Culpepper of Lavaca Co., TX
Last Edited 27 Apr 2009

Citations

  1. U.S. Social Security Administration, compiler, Social Security Death Index (SSDI), Online database at Ancestry.com.
    http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/vital/ssdi/main.htm
    Iris I. Culpepper, 9 Aug 1914 - 9 Aug 1999, San Antonio, Bexar Co., Texas 78214, SSN 466-03-9130 issued in Texas before 1951
    (Why it is safe to publish Social Security numbers for deceased people: http://gen.culpepper.com/about/socialsecurity.htm).
  2. 1920 Federal Census, United States.
    ED 203, Sheet 7B, Pg 135, Pct. 5, Wilson Co., TX
    Rent=Y, Farm=Y
    Ivan Culpepper, Head, M, 35, m, TX TX AL, Farmer
    Effie Culpepper, Wife, F, 34, M, TX TX TX
    Joyce Culpepper, Dau, F, 7, S, TX TX TX
    Iris Culpepper, Dau, F, 5, S, TX TX TX
    ? Culpepper, Dau, F, 3 ?/12, S, TX TX TX.
  3. 1930 Federal Census, United States.
    ED 1, Sheet 5B, Pg 5, 323 Pecan St., Uvalde, Uvalde Co., TX
    Own=$1000, Radio=N, Farm=N, Military=N
    D. I. Culpepper, Head, M, 45, M, md@24, TX TX TX, Carpenter-Bld Home
    Effie Culpepper, Wife, F, 45, M, md@24, TX TX TX
    Joyce Culpepper, Dau, F, 17, S, TX TX TX
    Iris Culpepper, Dau, F, 15, S, TX TX TX
    Lucy M. Culpepper, Dau, F, 12, S, TX TX TX
    Myra Culpepper, Dau, F, 8, S, TX TX TX
    Iva J. Culpepper, Dau, F, 1 9/12, S, TX TX TX.
  4. E-mail from Fay Hendrix, e-mail address to Lew Griffin, 22 May 2005.
  5. National Archives and Records Administration, compiler, U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946, Online database at Ancestry.com, 2005.
    http://www.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8939
    Iris I Culpepper, White, born 1914 in Texas; Resides in Bexar Co., TX; Enlisted 6 Apr 1943 at San Antonio, TX in the Womens Army Corps as a Private; Education: 4 years of high school; Occupation: Clerk-Typist, Single; Height: 58 in., Weight: 95.
  6. National Archives and Records Administration, compiler, U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946, Online database at Ancestry.com, 2005.
    http://www.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8939
    Lucy M Culpepper, White, born 1916 in Texas; Resides in Maverick Co., TX; Enlisted 29 Apr 1944 at San Antonio, TX in the Womens Army Corps as a Private; Education: 4 years of high school; Occupation: General Clerk, Single; Height: unk, Weight: unk.
  7. E-mail from Patricia Francis La Scuola (#20064), e-mail address to Warren L. Culpepper, 2005-2009.
  8. Texas Department of Health, compiler, Texas Death Index, 1903-2000, Online database at Ancestry.com, 2006.
    http://www.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=4876
    Iris Culpepper, died 9 Aug 1999 in Atascosa Co., TX.