| Biography* | | The following if from pp. 271-272 of the History of Alabama Rufus A. Culpepper, M. D. Since graduating from medical college Doctor Culpepper has practiced in Cullman County, most of the time at the City of Cullman. He has a record of service overseas during the World war, being a medical officer on the battle lines and with the Army of Occupation in Germany. Doctor Cullpepper [Culpepper] was born in Merriweather [Meriwether] County Georgia December 6, 1887. His father, Thomas J. Culpepper, was born in the same county, June 5, 1847, was reared and married there, and throughout his active career followed the vocation of farmer. In 1892 he moved to Cullman County, Alabama, and was one of the solid men of agriculture in that county until September 20, 1920. He was a democrat and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and served the last two years of the Civil War as a Confederate soldier. His wife, Lola Boyd, was born in Merriweather [Meriwether] County December 3, 1852, and now resides at Cullman. They had a family of seven children: James William was a physician and surgeon and died at Cullman at the age of thirty nine; Lena Mae, married Dr. William H. Price, a physician and surgeon, and both died at Cullman; Lillie is the wife of Clinton Tucker, of Sarasota, Florida; Doctor Rufus A; and Ellen is the wife of Homer Burch, an employee of Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railway Company at Fairfield, Alabama. Rufus A. Culpepper was five years of age when brought to Cullman County, grew up on his father's farm there and supplemented his training in public schools by attending the preparatory department of the University of Chattanooga at Athens, Tennessee. He took his first year in medicine at the Chattanooga Medical College, spent two years in the Birmingham Medical College and finished his course in the Chicago College of Medicine, being graduated with the M. D. degree in 1914. He is a member of the Phi Chi medical fraternity. Doctor Culpepper after graduating returned to Cullman County and for one year practiced at Crane Hill. Since then his home and offices have been in Cullman, and he has been granted a generous share of the professional practice in that community. His offices are in the People's Drug Store Building on First Avenue. Doctor Culpepper is a member of the Cullman County and Alabama Medical Associations, is a Fellow of the American Medical Association and was a volunteer for service in the Medical Corps during the World war. He was commissioned a first lieutenant March 1, 1918, was trained at Base Hospital at Camp Travis, Texas, and went overseas as a casual, landing at Brest August 11, 1918. As a member of the Tenth Field Artillery in the Third Division he was in the St. Mihiel and Meuse Argonne campaign and accompanied the Third Division of the Army of Occupation stationed at Mayhen, Germany. He remained overseas until August 10, 1919, when he sailed for home and received his honorable discharge at Camp Gordon, Atlanta, October 6, 1919.
After an absence of over a year he again resumed his professional work at Cullman. Doctor Culpepper is a democrat, is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church and is affiliated with Cullman Fraternal Lodge No. 421, F. and A. M., Alabama Consistory of the Scottish Rite at Birmingham, and Zamora Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Birmingham. He is a member of the Cullman Kiwanis Club. He married at St. Louis, Missouri, June 27, 1923, Miss Annie Catherine Arndt, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Arndt. Her father was a farmer, and died in Cullman County, and her mother still lives there. Mrs. Culpepper is a graduate nurse.
The following funeral notice is from Cullman Tribune: 25 Jun 1969 Funeral Services Will Be Today Dr. Culpepper Dies At The Age of 81 Dr. Rufus Alva Culpepper, 81, a prominent Cullman, medical doctor, died in the Cullman Hospital, Monday, June 23, Dr. Culpepper was a native of Meriweather County, Georgia. He came with his parents to the Crane Hill Community at the age of five. Following his high school education, Dr. Culpepper attended the preparatory department of the University of Chattanooga. His first year of medicine was at Chattanooga Medical College. He then attended Birmingham Medical College for two years and graduated from Chicago College of Medicine in 1914. He then opened a office in Cullman. When, World War I broke out, Dr. Culpepper volunteered for service in the Medical Corps, where he was commissioned a first lieutenant in 1918. He was honorably discharged in Oct. 1919. He then returned to Cullman where he retired from practice due to ill health in March, 1969. Dr. Culpepper was a member of Phi Chi Medical Fraternity, was a mason, member of the Missionary Baptist Church, the Elks, American Legion, Kiwanis, Cullman County Medical Society and was on the staff at Cullman Hospital. Dr. Culpepper's funeral will be held today, June 25, 4 p.m., from Moss Service Funeral Home Chapel, with burial to follow in Memory Gardens, with Moss Service Funeral Home directing. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Velma Culpepper; three sisters, Mrs. Sallie Land, Mrs. Lillie Tucker and Mrs. Ellen Burch; and one brother, Tom P. Culpepper. |
