Mary C. Culpepper's Obituary
Mary C. Culpepper, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, passed away peacefully in the early hours of December 12, 2024. Born on March 12, 1945, in Newport, Arkansas, Mary was the eldest of two daughters of the late Rev. James W. Beck and Mildred L. Thompson Beck.
Mary spent her childhood in rural Arkansas communities as her father served as a pastor. She graduated as Salutatorian from St. Charles High School in 1963 and went on to study business at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents and youngest son, Dr. Chris Culpepper of Maumelle, Arkansas. She is survived by her sister, Phyllis Binns, and her husband Rick, of the Rock Springs community; her son, Brian Culpepper, and his wife Cristina Scarlat, and their daughter Clara Culpepper, of Fayetteville; and her two grandsons, Willem and Walden Culpepper, of Little Rock. Mary is also survived by her niece, Angelia Smith, and her husband David, of Woodlawn, and her nephew, Todd Morrison, of Sulphur Springs, Arkansas.
Mary was a fiercely independent, intelligent, and devoted mother of two. She built a successful career in business, excelling as a bookkeeper and HR/payroll specialist in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. In the late 1980s, she relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, and later moved to Kansas City to work with the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC). In the late 1990s, she returned to Arkansas, settling in Little Rock to be closer to her family and grandchildren. Eventually, relocated to Northwest Arkansas to be near her loved ones and found fulfilling part-time work that she thoroughly enjoyed.
Throughout her life, Mary nurtured deep friendships, both from her work and her early years. She especially cherished her lifelong friends from college and often chatted for hours with them on the phone. Her determined and independent spirit earned her the nickname “Proud Mary,” a testament to the respect and admiration she inspired in those who knew her.
Mary’s resilience, achievements, and love for music shaped her truly one-of-a-kind personality. She was a strong and remarkable woman. As we remember her, the lyrics sung by one of her favorite artists echoes in our hearts: “Big wheel keep on turnin’; Proud Mary keep on burnin’; Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ on the river.” May her memory and her indomitable single-mom energy live on forever.
Online Tributes and guestbook available at www.bernafuneralhomes.com/obituaries.
A private celebration of Mary’s life will be held. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to Peace at Home Shelter at peaceathomeshelter.org.
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