Elizabeth Culley March 8, 1943 - April 15, 2024
Chapel Hill, North Carolina - DURHAM: Elizabeth Carlisle Whitfield Culley, AGE 81, known as “Beth,” passed away peacefully on April 15, 2024 at Croasdaile Pavilion in Durham after more than a week of loving attention from family, caregivers, friends and her church community. She was born March 8, 1943 in Durham to the late James Perry Whitfield and Eleanor Stone Whitfield. In addition to her parents, Beth Culley is also predeceased by ex-husband James Paul Culley and husband Albert Forrest Dailey; uncles Robert L. Stone and John D. Stone.
Beth grew up in the halls of Watts Street Baptist church, where her mother was church secretary and her father sang in the choir and served as deacon. After leaving to raise a family and start her career (membership transferred to Trinity United Methodist Church in Troy), Beth returned to Durham and Watts Street Baptist, where she served as a deacon and continued to be part of this church family for the remainder of her life.
Beth was a teenager working at a Methodist summer camp for children with physical disabilities when she discovered her vocation, realizable in the profession of physical therapy. After graduating Durham High School, Beth joined the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill class of 1964 and earned her Bachelors of Science in Physical Therapy. She completed her residency at University of Kentucky Medical Center.
At the University Kentucky Medical School Beth met James P. Culley, known as “Jim,” who she would marry and with whom she would have four children. In 1968, Jim enlisted in the United States Air Force and was deployed to bases in Germany, with Beth accompanying him. By the time they left Germany in 1971; they had three young children in tow. The family lived in Morgantown, West Virginia and Winston Salem, North Carolina before settling in Troy, North Carolina where their fourth child was born. She served as President of the Troy Women’s Club. After years of deferring her professional career to care for her young children, Beth assumed the Directorship of the Physical Therapy Department at Montgomery Regional Hospital.
When her marriage to Jim dissolved, Beth moved from Mount Airy to Winston-Salem and then to Edenton, North Carolina, working as a physical therapist in each locale. Eventually she returned to her hometown, Durham, where she directed the Rehabilitation program for Magnolia Garden Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation. She also held positions with Duke Medical Center and Durham Regional Hospital. Beth began a new life with Albert F. Dailey, who she learned had “loved her from afar” many years prior when they were students at Durham High School. Beth and Albert enjoyed a sweet and happy time together after a civil wedding ceremony, tragically cut short by Albert’s death to cancer in 1998.
In 2011 Beth was diagnosed with Parkinsons, a disease she understood well and planned for carefully. In 2015 she entered Croasdaile village, starting out in independent living, moving to assisted living and finally to skilled nursing. In her final years she received loving, professional care and was known for her sense of humor, the care she took to maintain her personal dignity and for her drive to push against the limits of her mobility.
Beth Culley lived a rich life. Her sense of humor was one of her many saving graces. She loved to throw birthday parties and host bridge tournaments. She was a faithful and enthusiastic PT alum who never missed a class of 1964 reunion. She was a girl scout leader and an aerobics instructor. She loved to sing, play the piano, play tennis, tend flower gardens and travel. Most of all, she was a loving mother to her children and Nana to her grandkids.
Beth Culley is survived by her brother James Perry Whitfield, Jr.; her children (youngest to oldest), Thad B. Culley and wife Erin Culley; Tonya Culley; Chris Culley and wife Shannon Culley; Marybeth E. Nevins and husband Thomas J Nevins; grandchildren Andi Culley, Felix Culley-Provenzano, Aurelia Culley-Provanzano, Zachary E. Nevins, Emma Culley, Thomas J. Nevins IV, and Christopher Culley; niece Allison Whitfield and nephew James Perry “Trip” Whitfield, best friend Judy Bullock, special ex-sisterin-law Mary Lou Henderson and many Stone family cousins and second cousins.
A celebration of her life will be held at May 18th, 2:00, Watts Street Baptist Church
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to https://give.unc.edu/ search with #343897 for Physical Therapy Scholarship and Award Fund or https:// wattsstreet.org/give-wsbc/ Watts Street Baptist Church.
The family is being assisted by Clements Funeral & Cremation Services, Inc. in Durham. Online condolences, stories and memories of Beth, may be sent to www. clementsfuneralservice.com.