Patricia Louise Culley

Pat attended the old schoolhouse out on Slough Road just an eighth of a mile from where she lived. She received good marks and great reports, despite her older sister Helen being her teacher for the first five years of school before going to St. Francis De Sales Academy in town. Pat was proud to share that while her friend, Fred Warner, may have been a little better at math than her, she always had him beat in spelling and writing. Pat loved to tell the story about Fred’s idea to smear chalk all over his face while they were at school, to which she copied, and the end result being complete embarrassment when Helen caught them both and punished them by making them stand in the corner. She wouldn’t let Helen get away with embarrassing her, so she sought payback by refusing to help Helen with bringing in firewood to the schoolhouse which was a lesson we’re sure Helen would never forget. Pat made sure to get even with Fred, too, by poking fun at him for not being able to bait his own hook or being able to get his own fish off the hook - if he ever caught one. Grandma loved her horse “Babe”, and some of her fondest memories came from spending quality time with that horse, whether it was riding her bareback to school just a quarter mile away, or training Babe to lower her neck all the way to the ground so Grandma could get on her easier by sliding down her neck and onto her back.

In March of 1942, at 16 years old, she was introduced to Alvin “Al” Culley, which would later turn out to be the ‘love of her life’. Shortly after meeting, Al joined the Navy and before she knew it, she was saying her goodbyes as he left for the South Pacific during WWII where he endured many hardships, including multiple battles at sea and Malaria which almost ended his life. Despite the hardships he endured, Al found time to send letters back home to Pat, as he had obviously grown quite fond of her in the short time he had known her before leaving for war. Pat spoke often of a letter she received from Al after the battle of Okinawa where Al shared with her a dream he experienced that she knew came from the Lord as soon as she read his letter. He shared he saw the two of them getting married in the Catholic Church with a large gathering of people there to support them. He described the church in great detail, sharing with her the pictures on the walls that he had seen in this dream, despite never setting foot in the church before. When he returned home and attended church with her for the first time, Grandma thought he had suddenly fallen ill, which turned out to be just a state of shock as he realized the church scenery in his dream matched what he was seeing in real life perfectly. Grandma believed this to be destiny, not only because of what he had seen in his dream, but also because God brought him through the difficult times he experienced during the war and back home to her.

After graduating from St. Francis Academy in 1944, Pat went on to attend Nursing school in Vancouver, Washington, for a year and a half before returning back to Baker City. As fate would have it, Al and Pat were joined to be married on August 1, 1946 in the Catholic Church in Baker City after he returned home from the war. After marrying, they left for Chicago, Illinois, were Al attended school to be an electrician. In May of 1947, they found their way back to Baker to put down their roots for good. In 1953, they purchased their farm where they happily raised crops, livestock, and eventually, eight wonderful children (5 boys – Steve, Dan, Rod, Tim, Randy; and 3 girls – Julie, Teri, and Sharon). When asked, Grandma said it came as no surprise that she and Al would have a large family full of hard workers, many laughs, and of course, a typical sibling disagreement from time to time out in the fields. Fortunately, no fight was ever too big that it couldn’t be solved by the time supper rolled around. Grandma’s favorite job in life was being a mom and a wife and she didn’t have a single gripe or complaint about the way things were for them. Her intentions as a mother were to always set a good example, to raise kids that know the Lord, with a focus on having fun and stressing the importance and value in being together. Pat was very proud of the work they accomplished, and loved bragging about the time she caught a ewe that was stomping her feet, full of maggots on her hind end – she knew she wouldn’t be able to catch her again if she let the ewe go – so Pat’s quick thinking kicked in and she tore off a piece of her underskirt to tie the ewe’s legs together so she could go grab meds to treat her before letting her go again.

When reflecting back on their life, Pat once wrote: “I truly believe that God had a destiny for us – and that he let me meet him [Al] when I was only 16 – and brought him through that terrible war. The Lord did take care of us. He said “If you trust in me, he would provide” and he sure did.” She goes on to say, “As for myself, I would just rather have the simple life. We always had all we needed, and enough to eat. I think we had a pretty good life and a lot of fun together – with a few good fights thrown in for good measure.” She adds, “If I had it to do over, I would do it all again and probably make the same mistakes, but hopefully with my hindsight being so much better, maybe I would have done a better job in some ways.”

Though, she shined bright as a mother, ranch-hand, and nurse, many would argue that her true caring nature was unmatched as her role of a grandmother; totaling 86 grandchildren (to include great and great great), who she found a way to create an individual relationship with each one. On any given holiday, or random Tuesday, you can hear the roar of laughter from those who loved her and the stories they tell about her. Stories about popcorn balls, sweet bread, road trips, pranks, fart machines, chasing grandkids around the house or down the street, picking huckleberries, many trips to Montana, how she got the name of Granny Dork, or using Pam spray before racing down the water slides at Wild Waters, even being paraded around to school as a kid’s show and tell occasionally – all of which are great stories that will forever bring us laughter to fill our homes and hearts for many years to come.

One hundred years is a remarkable life, and she filled every single one of those years with love and laughter. The kind of love that doesn’t run out. The kind of love that isn’t built on conditions. The kind of love that supports and that you can count on. She showed us a life of steadfastness, commitment, and that there is always something to laugh about, especially in the hard times. She supported everyone in her life without hesitation, as well as provided a safe place for humans and animals alike. Whether it was a stray cat or a stray kid, they were always welcomed, fed, and put to work under Granny’s watchful eye. The world is much quieter without her here, though the love she gave over the years will echo through generations to come.

Pat was preceded in death by her parents, siblings, husband (Alvin Culley), grandchildren (Daniel and Lisa Culley, Kristi Harvey, Ryan Culley) and daughter-in-law (Rhonda Culley).

She is survived by her eight children and their families: Steve Culley (Baker City, OR); Dan and Cathy Culley (Dayton, WA); Rod and Pat Culley (Baker City, OR); Tim Culley (Baker City, OR); Julie and Terry Miller (Baker City, OR); Teri and Rod Lee (Billings, MT); Randy and Jodi Culley (McMinnville, OR); and Sharon Wemmer (Baker City, OR); bonus daughter Jorja Culley (LaGrande, OR); 86 grandchildren, as well as many nieces, nephews, and those she claimed as family.

She filled our lives with laughter, kindness, and unwavering love. Her legacy will live on in the family she held close. So, until we meet again, we will carry her love with us always - a bushel and a peck, and a hug around the neck.

A viewing for Pat will be held Thursday, March 19th, 2026, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Gray’s West & Co Pioneer Chapel in Baker City. The Rosary will be said on Friday, March 20th, at St. Francis Cathedral at 6:30 p.m. in Baker City. A Funeral Mass will be held Saturday, March 21, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Francis Cathedral in Baker City. Following the graveside service, family has invited you to join them for lunch in the basement of the Catholic Church.

In lieu of flowers, her family requests donations be sent to Heart ‘n Home Hospice & Palliative Care in Baker City, OR. The address is 3330 Pocahontas Rd, Baker City, OR, 97814.

Written by her granddaughters: Lisa (Culley) Whipple and Taylor Barth