Mary Virginia Dorothea Clavier Culpepper's Obituary
Mary Virginia Dorothea Clavier Culpepper, 78, passed away in her home in Acworth, Georgia on Monday, November 30, 2015. Dotty, as she was affectionately known to her family and friends, was born June 19, 1937 in New Orleans, Louisiana to Harry W. and Dorothy Serra Clavier. Her aunt, Dardanella Ropollo, played an important maternal role in her life. A graduate of Redemptorist High School in 1955, Dotty was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and friend to many. She worked as a dental assistant and was later employed by Esso, where she met her husband of 56 years, Paul Culpepper. Paul and Dotty were married in New Orleans at St. Leo the Great Church on April 19, 1959, and established their home in Metarie, where their sons Gary Michael and Kenneth Scott were born. Dotty moved with her family to Charlotte, North Carolina in 1964, where her third son, Greg Steven, was born in 1966. There she was an active member of St. Vincent de Paul Parish, and was involved with her children in theater, sports, and Cub Scouts. She moved with her family to Memphis, Tennessee in 1979, and volunteered at St. Jude Hospital and St. Peter Home for Children. In Memphis, Dotty and Paul became active in square dancing, travel, and in their antique business, a work that Dotty enjoyed for many years until she retired in 2013. This was the year that she was diagnosed with cerebral lymphoma, which she courageously battled for over two years. In 2015, Dotty and Paul moved to Acworth, Georgia, to live near their son Greg, his wife Natalie, and their son Jansen. True to her Louisiana roots, Dotty loved life, and, with her beautiful smile, would proclaim “laissez les bon temps roulez.” Dotty is predeceased by her father and mother, and her son Ken. She is survived by her husband Paul; her two sons Gary and Greg; her daughters-in-law Katherine and Natalie; her grandchildren, Marie, Anne, and Jansen; and her brother- and sister-in-law, Jack and Johnnie Culpepper, and their children and grandchildren. Family and friends are invited to a visitation from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. at Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee, followed by a Christian burial service at 1:00 p.m.
What’s your fondest memory of Mary?
What’s a lesson you learned from Mary?
Share a story where Mary's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Mary you’ll never forget.
How did Mary make you smile?