Harvey McCulley

October 18, 1934 - January 14, 2017

Mr. Harvey L. McCulley, Jr., age 82, died January 14, 2017 at his residence at Poplar Estates.

Visitation will be Tuesday, January 17th from 1:00 – 4:00 pm at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church on Cayce Lane in Columbia, followed by a Funeral Mass at 4:00 pm celebrated by Father Davis Chackalekel, with Father Patrick Conner concelebrating. Burial will be at a later date. Heritage Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Born October 18, 1934 in Wheeling, West Virginia, he was the son of Harvey L. McCulley, Sr. and Ora V. McCulley. On January 22, 1955 he married Donna Carole Otte McCulley who survives him. An outstanding football player for Triadelphia High School, he was recruited by the University of Iowa. After one year in Iowa, he returned to Wheeling to be close to his future wife and attended West Liberty College, graduating in 1956 with a degree in Business Administration. He went to work for Union Carbide Corporation, a career which spanned nearly 35 years and sent his family to live in New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Illinois, and for three separate times, to Puerto Rico. He retired to Columbia in 1990 as Plant Manager of the facility in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico and president of Union Carbide Grafito, Inc. An avid sportsman, he enjoyed hunting, fishing, swimming and diving, tennis, held a license as a private pilot, and for many years was an accomplished golfer. He enjoyed watching football at all levels, was a Tennessee Titans season ticket holder, and an official with TSSAA. Always making time for his children, through the years he was a Cub Scout Master, assistant Boy Scout Leader, helped coach little league baseball, was a founder and board member of the Columbia Pop Warner Football League in which he coached the Porter-Walker Nailers, and assisted in coaching high school football in Puerto Rico. He was a member and officer of the Wagon Wheelers square dance club in which he and his wife participated for many years. He also enjoyed and was accomplished at all manner of mechanical and construction work. Since his retirement he has probably been best known as “the yardman” for the many hours he spent working in his yard in Sunnyside which is still admired by all who drive by. Mr. McCulley was a faithful Roman Catholic, a former member of the Knights of Columbus, and a communicant of St. Catherine of Siena.

In addition to his wife he is survived by his daughter, Lynne (John) Brandon of Birmingham, Alabama, son, Daniel (Janice Vinson) McCulley of Columbia, daughter, Renee (Al) Schwartz of Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, son, Thomas (Elizabeth) McCulley of Gulf Breeze, Florida, and daughter Michele Smith of Newburgh, Indiana; and Steve Smith of Newburgh, Indiana; grandchildren, Stacie (Nathan) Berck, David Schwartz, Kathryn McCulley, Christopher (Kelly) Schwartz, Kirsten Smith, Megan Brandon, Alex McCulley, Anthony Smith, Madeline Brandon, Aidan, Eliana, and Julian McCulley; great grandchildren, Karlye, Lucy, and Jonathan Berck, and Grayson Schwartz; and many dearly loved nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.

Mr. McCulley was preceded in death by his brothers Ronald, Morton, and Elmer McCulley, sister Sarah Morgan and her husband Tom, brother and sister-in-law Robert and JoAnn Killeen, and a favorite nephew, Tom Morgan.

Active pallbearers will be Robert Seay, Ken Grappin, Gene McShane, James A. McKnight, Randy Sparkman, Bill Marbet, Randy Walters, and Dr. Robert MacArthur. Honorary pallbearers will be Jules (Frenchy) Ferland, Chuck Madison, Jonathan Fankhauser, Don Haislip, retirees of Union Carbide, friends from Wagon Wheelers, Kyle Fortman, and all of the physicians who cared for him over the years.

The family wishes to give a special thanks to all of the staff and caregivers at Poplar Estates and Hospice Compassus who provided such great care and comfort for their Dad and for the entire family. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made in his honor to the Maury County Animal Shelter or Saint Catherine Catholic Church.