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Ellen I. Smith Culp

Ellen I. Smith Culp, 95, widow of the late Rev. Everett Culp, died from pneumonia Aug. 8 at Shady Grove Hospital. A funeral was held at the Church of the Nazarene in Gaithersburg, Aug. 12, with burial in the Mount Zion UMC (Lothian) cemetery next to her husband.

Ellen Smith and Everett Culp, who met at Taylor University in Upland, Ind., were married in 1931, while he was attending Westminster Theological Seminary and serving as a student pastor at the Union Bridge Charge. She 'served the Lord with him throughout his ministry,' said his memoir in the 1984 Journal.

Everett Culp?s ministry spanned more than 50 years, including West River Charge (1937-1949), Brentwood (1949-1955), and First in Cumberland (1955-1968). From 1968 to his retirement in 1977, his appointments included Fork, Calvary and Zion Wesley in Waldorf. After retirement he was assistant pastor at Ager Road UMC, for a short time the interim pastor of the Chesapeake Circuit in Deale, and at Marley UMC in Glen Burnie.

Ellen Culp was an organist and pianist and taught piano for many years. She, her husband, and later her daughter, sang duets and trios in the churches and communities where they lived. She occasionally filled in in the pulpit for him. Inspired by Billy Graham in the early 1950s, she memorized Bible verses and at one time knew 6,000 different verses, according to her daughter.

Everett and Ellen Culp were committed to mission and made some 16 mission trips to 10 different countries. She did not always accompany him, but often did, especially on several trips to Haiti following the devastation of Hurricane Hazel in 1954. She had traveled to India and several Central American countries and Cuba. They also visited their daughter, the wife of a Navy chaplain, in Scotland and Germany. After her husband?s death Ellen Culp traveled to the Philippines, Hong Kong and Macau, and did some mission work with Eskimos in northern Canada.

Survivors include their only child, Miriam Stewart, three grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

Condolences may be sent to Miriam Stewart, 72 Stacey Circle, Windham, NH 03087.

Memorial gifts may be made 'to a favorite missionary,' or to the American Bible Society, 9 East Franklin St., Baltimore, MD 21202.

Rev. Gerald 'Jerry' Thurman Scheffey

Rev. Gerald 'Jerry' Thurman Scheffey, 75, a retired associate member, died from cancer Aug. 5, at Perry Point Veterans Center in Perryville.

A funeral service was held Aug. 9, at the Mitchell-Smith Funeral Home in Havre de Grace, followed by interment at Pleasant Grove UMC in Peach Bottom, Pa., a favorite church where his first wife is buried.

Scheffey served in the Marine Corps during the Korean War and enjoyed attending reunions of the 1st Marine Provisional Brigade. He received shrapnel wounds and maintained an interest in the Disabled American Veterans throughout his life. He was past commander of the Francis McLhinney Chapter 15 of the DAV in Havre de Grace.

Scheffey served many churches in his 29 years as a pastor, first with the Evangelical United Brethren, beginning in 1963. His first church in this conference was Halethorpe UMC in 1975. He also served Daniels, Waters Memorial in St. Leonard, the Indian Head Charge, Cumberland First and the Susquehanna Charge. He went on disability leave in 1989 and retired in 1992.

He and Helen Schade Scheffey were married in 1966 and had one daughter, Danielle Hutto. They divorced in the early 1990s. He had four daughters with his first wife, Lois Gottschalk, who is deceased.

He then married Harriet Carroll, who died a few months later.

One of his pleasures was fishing with family and friends. He was an avid reader, and especially liked Marine Corps histories.

Survivors include his wife of one year, Maria Pensyl-Scheffey, who lives in North Carolina with her son; five daughters, Deidre Chung of Louisville, Ky., Kimberly Marcantoni of Bel Air, Jodie Reeves-Kable of Sykesville, Tracy Lindsay of San Francisco, Calif., and Danielle Hutto of Aberdeen; 11 grandchildren; and two great-granddaughters. He also leaves several step-children.

Condolences may be sent to his daughter, Jodie Reeves-Kable, 454 Klee Mill Road, Sykesville, MD 21784.