Elsie J. Culbertson

Elsie June Culbertson passed into eternal life on March 18, 2013, at her Thornton home where she resided for 58 years. She was 84. She was born July 21, 1928 in Lander, Wyoming to John M. Sr. and Susie (Laird) Grebe. With older siblings Alta and John Jr., Elsie was raised on a small farm on the outskirts of town. In the early 1940s the family moved into town and she graduated from Fremont County High School on May 17, 1946. Elsie received a full ride scholarship to the University of Wyoming. Although unable to attend the University, she moved to Denver in 1947 to attend Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing. During her senior year of Nurse's training she served as Class President. While attending nursing school Elsie met her future husband at a Charity Box Supper Social when he mistakenly bid on and ultimately purchased her box supper. After graduating from Presbyterian on March 10, 1950, and becoming a Registered Nurse, she returned to Wyoming. On Easter Sunday, April 9, 1950, in a blizzard that threatened to shut down the town of Lander, she married Roger A. Culbertson. They were married for 55½ years at the time of his death in 2005. After moving 18 times in the first four years of marriage...from Riverton, to Casper, to Salida, to Greeley, to LaSalle, to Loveland, and to Denver...they finally settled in Thornton. Nursing and taking care of others was not just a ""job"" to her, it was her passion and she practiced her profession for over 50 years. She worked in the hospitals in the majority of the towns they lived in and at one of the first doctor's offices in Thornton, the 88th Avenue Medical Clinic. At the clinic, Elsie worked not only as Dr. C.J. Roberts' nurse, but also as office manager until his death in 1995. After a brief hiatus she returned to work at the office of Dr. Bernard Engel, a former physician at 88th Avenue Clinic, where she was reunited with many of her former patients, until she finally retired in 2005. As a nurse she cared for many Thornton's ""1st families"", their children, their grandchildren and even some of their great grand children. She was an unofficial ""doctor"", performing ""triage"" and pre-office visit treatments for all the sick and injured neighborhood kids. She possessed many other talents: she was an accomplished seamstress; loved to crochet, knit, embroider, tat; played the piano and organ; excellent cook; and grew the most beautiful roses in Thornton. She loved the outdoors, fishing and camping with family and friends, but most of all, she her loved dogs, each and every one of the 15 she had throughout her lifetime. Elsie was a 50 year member of Loyalty Chapter #145, Order of Eastern Star and a Past Honored Queen of Job's Daughters. She is preceded in death by her sister Alta Grebe, mother Susie Grebe, father John M Grebe Sr., brother John M. Grebe Jr., husband Roger A. Culbertson, grandson Steven Lucas Hubbard and granddaughter Andi Rae Hubbard. She is survived by her son John Roger(Susan) Culbertson, daughter Colleen Kay (Steven) Hubbard, grandchildren Diana Lynn (Indie) Trehan, Michele Ann (Aaron) Smith, John Aaron Culbertson, great grandchildren Beckham Keoni Smith and Carysn Ann Smith. A remembrance and celebration of her life will be held at 11:00am, Saturday, March 23, 2013 at Crossroads Church, 104th & Huron St., Northglenn, CO. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made in Elsie's memory to: Porter Hospice Porter Foundation 1391 Speer Blvd., Suite 600 Denver, CO 80204 OR Adams County Animal Shelter Taffy Fund 10705 Fulton St. Brighton, CO 80601 Please share your memories of Else and condolences with her family by clicking on the ""Sign Guestbook"" link below.