H. LeRoy Culp passed away Saturday, April 23, 2022 peacefully, simply of the advanced age of 94. He was born December 17, 1927 in Lawrence County, Illinois to Eleanor (Edgington) & Albert Culp.
LeRoy was a 1946 graduate of Decker High School and began working at Tip Top Creamery/Meadow Gold Dairy. He earned his Vietnam Service Bar serving in the U.S. Merchant Marines as Chief Engineer beginning in 1946 and joined the U.S. Army in 1954. While residing in Conneaut, Ohio with his wife, Helen and children, LeRoy’s career was on the Great Lakes as well as on both Ohio and Mississippi Rivers .He served as chief engineer for U.S. Steel and Federal Barge Lines/Midland Enterprise. In 1972 LeRoy returned to Vincennes with his family and was employed by The Delta Queen Steamboat Company, St. Louis, Missouri and engineered on both the Delta Queen & Mississippi Queen until his retirement from there in 1983. Retirement didn’t last long, as he was called to serve as the Chief Engineer of the Belle of Louisville, in Louisville Kentucky. He worked there another 20 years when “Chief Culp” (as he was referred to by his friend and fellow engineer Jim “Mac” McCoy) retired in 2003 at the age of 76.
In LeRoy’s younger years he was an avid coon hunter winning multiple competitions in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana in night hunts and buddy hunts. LeRoy wore many hats and helped friends and family in areas as an electrician, plumber, builder and “fix its” of all kinds.
LeRoy is survived by his children David (Carole) Culp, Susan Miles, Denise Memering, Ron (Joni) Culp, Darci (Steve) Sudduth. Grandchildren Brian, Matthew and Chas (Landry) Culp, Lesli (Tim) Haveman, Christopher (Jerrica) Miles, Keith (Katrina) Memering, Jared (Cassie) Memering, Lauren (Chad) Hawkins, Justine (Aaron) Klope, Josh (Michae) Culp and Jordan Sudduth. He has 13 great grandchildren. LeRoy also leaves behind his neighbor and friend of 80 plus years, Lawrence “June” Hess.
LeRoy was also preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Helen (Shuster) who passed away in 1993, and all of his younger siblings: sister Barbara Ellerman -Van and brothers Herbert, Leon, (Pete) and Tom Culp.
LeRoy requested cremation with a graveside service at a later date. He will be laid to rest next to his wife of 38 years at Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Vincennes. The family has asked that memorial contributions be made to The Christian Education Foundation, 229 Church Street, Vincennes, IN 47591
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.fredrickandson.com. Fredrick and Son McClure-Utt Funersl Homes Vincennes Chapel has been entrusted with the arrangements.
