Judge Thomas R. Culver III

Judge Thomas R. Culver, III

Richmond

Funeral services to celebrate the life of Judge Thomas R. Culver, III, 66, of Richmond, Texas are scheduled for 10:00 a.m., Friday, September 11, 2015, at Sugar Land Baptist Church, 16755 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land, Texas 77479, with Dr. John Reid, Dr. Donnie Melton and Dr. Howard Gates officiating.

Burial will follow at Morton Cemetery in Richmond, Texas, 77469.

Visitation will be 5-7:00 p.m., Thursday, September 10, 2015, also at Sugar Land Baptist Church.

Serving as Pallbearers are Judge Culver's two brothers, Mr. John Culver and Mr. Richard Culver, and his dearest friends: Mr. Robert Chapman, Dr. Lamar Meadows, Mr. Rocky Lane, Mr. Billy Atkinson, Mr. Don Schwartz, Mr. John Weber and Judge Tom Stansbury. Honorary Pallbearers will be his nephews: Dr. Cameron Culver, Mr. Clayton Culver, Mr. Nathan Culver, Mr. David Culver, Mr. Lynley Carden, Mr. Joshua Hubbell, Mr. Allen Van Slyke and Mr. Chase Van Slyke. Also serving as Honorary Pallbearers are the Members of the Judiciary of Fort Bend County.

He was born Thomas Ralph Culver, III on March 30, 1949, in Abilene, Texas to Thomas R. Culver, Jr. and Betty Lilian Pierson Culver. Surrounded by his family, he went to Heaven on September 4, 2015, in Houston, Texas, after fighting a long and courageous battle with pulmonary fibrosis.

Growing up, Tommy was the eldest of the four Culver boys. While in high school, he earned the rank of Eagle Scout in The Boy Scouts of America. He was a 1967 graduate of Cooper High School in Abilene, Texas where he competed on the dive team and played the viola with the Philharmonic Orchestra. Tommy graduated from Baylor University with a B.B.A. in 1971 and with a J.D. Degree from Baylor Law School in 1973. He married his Baylor sweetheart, the former Jan Carden, of Richmond; they have lived in Fort Bend County since their marriage on August 18, 1973. In August of 2015, they celebrated their 42nd wedding anniversary. Before beginning his thirty-eight years of public service in the justice system of Fort Bend County, Tommy was a practicing civil attorney in Rosenberg from 1973 until 1977. Prior to becoming District Judge, he served as Fort Bend County Assistant District Attorney Felony Prosecutor from 1977-1981. Thereafter, he served two terms as the County Court at Law Judge for Fort Bend County from 1981-1990. Judge Culver was first elected as the 240th District Judge in 1990 and was re-elected in 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014, where he served until his retirement on June 30, 2015.

Judge Culver lived life to the fullest, through the end. The highlight of his life was spending time with his family and many friends. He was happiest while on his boat on Lake LBJ listening to The Eagles and Jimmy Buffett. He was an avid slalom skier, snow skier, moviegoer, private pilot, lover of music and all things patriotic, Fox News enthusiast; and veracious reader who was known to stay up all night to read the latest 500-page Tom Clancy novel. He loved date nights with his wife, every night of the week, and enjoyed everything from fine dining to hot dogs and a movie. He especially enjoyed hunting, or "armed camping," with his son and taking trips with his family. Although Judge Culver retired from the 240th District Court in June of 2015, he did not wait for retirement to start enjoying life: he had fun all along the way. His legacy will live on through the family and friends who loved him immeasurably. He will be remembered as a humble man of unshakable faith, a Godly and loving husband, father, brother, uncle, friend and jurist of unquestionable character who found great fulfillment in providing "a level playing field" for everyone in his court. Professionally, he will be remembered as "tough, fair and honest;" and imparted practical and invaluable advice to young lawyers (including his daughter many years ago as a newly-licensed attorney) to "be reasonable to deal with and tough to beat." Despite all these many roles, his favorite was that of being a grandfather. Judge Culver believed in God, Family, Country...and Baylor. There is no doubt that he was greeted at Heaven's Gates and told, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Judge Culver was preceded in death and greeted in Heaven by his parents; his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas R. Culver, Sr. and Mr. and Mrs. Frank H. Murphy, all of Abilene, Texas; brother Charles F. Culver of Sugar Land, Texas; father-in-law, Vernon O. Carden, Sr. of East Bernard, Texas; sister-in-law Lauren Carden of Richmond, Texas; and brothers-in-law Don L. Carden and Martin D. Carden, both of Richmond, Texas.

Left to cherish his memory is the love of his life, Jan Carden Culver of Richmond, Texas; daughter and son-in-law, Courtney Culver Baker and husband, Andrew L. "Buck" Baker of Houston, Texas; son and daughter-in-law, Thomas R. Culver, IV and wife, Kristen Hanrahan Culver of Richmond, Texas; and grandson and namesake, Thomas R. Culver, V, who lovingly knew him as "Daddy T." He was anxiously awaiting the arrival of his second grandson, Pierson L. Baker, due later this month. Judge Culver is also survived by his precious mother-in-law, Helen Carden of Rosenberg, Texas; two brothers and sisters-in-law: Richard G. Culver and wife, Susie, of The Woodlands, Texas; John R. Culver and wife, Leticia, of Houston, Texas; and Shelly Brigham, the long-time girlfriend of his departed brother, Charles F. Culver, of Sugar Land, Texas; brothers-in-law and sisters-in law: Vernon O. "Butch" Carden, Jr. and Linda Carden of East Bernard, Texas; Marsha Carden of Rosenberg, Texas; Debbie Carden of Sugar Land, Texas; and Kellye and Shiles Hubbell of Mt. Pleasant, Texas; aunts: Annette Pierson of Eastland, Texas, Marjorie Worsham of Houston, Texas and Wanda Cozad of Woodville, Texas; nieces and nephews: Cameron and Tiffany Culver, Clayton Culver, Nathan Culver, David Culver, Monica Morrow Battles, Lynley and Dawn Carden, Kiesha and Mark Youens, John and Haley Carden, Kathryn and Blaine Summers, Jackie and Mark Hamm, Virginia and Wes Waymer, Allen Van Slyke, Lindsey and Kendall Wiley, Chase Van Slyke, Joshua Hubbell and fiance; Casey Dinger, Megan and David Williams, Lisa Greening, Carlos Garcia; and numerous great-nieces, great-nephews, other relatives, and friends.

Memorials may be given in Judge Culver's memory to fund research and treatment for the currently-incurable disease of pulmonary fibrosis through the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, In Memory of Judge Thomas Culver III, 230 E. Ohio Street, Suite 304, Chicago, Illinois 60611-3201 or http://pulmonaryfibrosis.donorpages.com/Tribute/JudgeThomasCulverIII. Memorials may also be given to First Baptist Church of Rosenberg, 1117 First Street, Rosenberg, Texas 77471, or The South Texas Children's Home, P.O. Box 759 Beeville, Texas 78104-0759.

"I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7.

Condolence messages may be written for the Culver family at www.garmanycarden.com.

Funeral services are under the direction of Garmany & Carden Funeral Directors, Inc., 1201 Fourth Street, Rosenberg, Texas 77471 (281) 342-4671.