Donald M. Culver M68
Donald M. Culver, Mesa, AZ, died August 17, 2024.
Born in Stowe, VT, Don graduated from Stowe High School in 1958. He loved sports and played soccer, basketball and baseball all through high school. He was captain of his soccer team when they won their first state championship during his senior year.
After high school, Don attended Johnson State College where he was a standout athlete playing soccer, basketball and baseball. He was inducted into the Johnson State College Sports Hall of Fame as an inaugural class member in 1982. In his senior year, he was chosen as a member of Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities for his outstanding academics and leadership. He also received the Richard Anderson award at Johnson State for his athletic ability and sportsmanship.
Don graduated from JSC in 1962 and went on to start his teaching career, eventually earning his masters’ degree in math/teaching from Saint Michael’s. Don taught middle school math for 37 years with 34 years at South Burlington Middle School.
After marrying in 1966, he and his wife moved to Essex Junction where they raised their family. Don was a basketball coach for many years at South Burlington Middle School. He also coached his daughters on numerous basketball teams and his son on many baseball teams. In addition to coaching, Don was a Vermont soccer and basketball official and baseball umpire for many years. He also was active in Essex Little League and Vermont Babe Ruth. He was inducted into the Vermont Babe Ruth Hall of Fame for his 31 years of volunteering and support.
Don loved all sports, with a special passion for the Red Sox. He attended many games and was lucky enough to attend a World Series game in St. Louis with his daughter. He loved attending all sporting events as an avid spectator — baseball, football, soccer, basketball and horseracing. He even got to attend the Kentucky Derby.
He also loved country music and attended many shows throughout his lifetime. He always had his country music playing in the car during the many family trips to Maine.
Don and his wife, Peggy retired in 1999 and moved to Arizona for the winters. They enjoyed travel to Ireland, Italy, France, Hawaii and Las Vegas with their friends and spent a lot of time with their grandchildren in New Hampshire and Arizona.
In Arizona he enjoyed attending spring training baseball games and local high school and college sporting events, and he loved to talk sports with anyone who was interested. In his later years, you could often find him at the OTB watching horse races.
Don was predeceased by his wife of almost 57 years, Peggy, in 2023, and by a daughter in 2021. He is survived by a son, a daughter, a sister and extended family.