Ulysses Grant Culley Sr., 94, a fixture of White County sports, passed away May 1, 2021, at his residence.
Mr. Culley was born Oct. 8, 1926, in the Bon Air community, of White County.
He was a retired custodian for Caney Fork Electric where he also assisted on emergency calls. Mr. Culley proudly served his country in the United States Army.
Above all, he was widely known and beloved by the White County sports community. He started playing baseball, his first love, in the 1940s, and was fortunate to coach his sons throughout the 60s and 70s. In the 60s, he also began umpiring baseball games for the White County youth. Mr. Culley loved to coach and encourage young children in any sport, with any skill level, treating them as if they were the star of the team. His importance to the White County community was commemorated, on March 17, 2016, when the White County High School baseball field was dedicated as the Ulysses Culley Field.
For years, Mr. Culley could be found traveling in his white Cadillac, with his friend, “Tenderfoot,” to any sporting event at any field or gymnasium, in Middle Tennessee, where a White County team was suited up to play. Once he was not able to drive, parents of the players would volunteer and take him to games so he could be there.
Mr. Culley was preceded in death by his father, Walter Culley; mother, Erma Hunter Jones; wife, Jessie Mae Webb Culley; grandson, Monty Culley; and brother, Buford Hunter Sr.
Survivors include his two daughters, Susie Robinson, Debra (Robert "Tank") Brewington; four sons, Jeffery "Shotgun" Culley, Grant (Elaine) Culley, Toby Culley, David Wayne (Carolyn) Culley; brother-in-law, James Thomas "Beartrack" Webb; special friend, Pam Lewis; nieces, Emmaline Webb, Judy Woods, Diane Hunter; grandchildren, Jessie Christine Culley, Tosh Culley, Chris Brewington, Lynn Brewington, Tish Billen, Courtney Robinson, Ladianian Culley, Zedekiah Culley; great-grandchildren; Braden, Delicia, Trenton, Trey, Clay, and Lydia and Thomas Brewington, Gabrielle, B.J., Moriah, and DeAundria Billen; and great-great-grandchildren, Aneyah Lusk and Kingston Jones.
Funeral service will be noon, May 5, 2021, at Hunter Funeral Home. Burial, with full military honors by the Veterans' Honor Guard, will follow in Oak Lawn Cemetery. The family will receive friends 10 a.m.-noon, May 5, at the funeral home. Morris Irby and Diantha McLeod will officiate.
Chris Brewington, Lynn Brewington, Braden Brewington, Trenton Brewington, Trey Brewington, Ladainian Culley, Zedekiah Culley, Donny Haley, Clay Leftwich Jr., and Sam Dibrell will serve as pallbearers.
The family would like to express a special thank you to the V.A. of Murfreesboro and Hunter Funeral Home for all of their care and support.
Hunter Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
