Gail Anstey Culver, 78, of East Shelby NY, went home to be with the Lord at her home on Wednesday morning, April 29, 2020, after a battle cancer, with her loving family at her side.
She was born in 1941 in Batavia NY to the late Charles and Mildred “Ann” Anstey (Schrader) and grew up in East Shelby, attending the one room schoolhouse in East Shelby and graduated from Medina High School in 1959. She went on and became the first woman to graduate with a degree in Mechanical Technology, from Erie County Technical Institute (now ECC) in 1960. She married the late David G Culver in 1963 and were married for over 50 years before he passed in 2014. They raised and leave behind 2 boys, David C (Tammy) Culver (Batavia) and Daniel Culver (Medina). She also leaves behind a younger sister, Cheryl Tuttle (Anstey), grandchildren, Ashley (Josh) Dyrbala (Culver) (Oakfield), Erica Culver (Rochester), Chelsea Culver (Lyndonville), Nic Culver (Medina), and great- grandchildren, Chloe and Hailey Dyrbala and her cats and dogs.
Gail life was full of community involvement; she worked for years at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge before moving onto the ARC of Orleans County and then Medina Memorial Hospital. Gail retired from her final career at Genesee County Cornell Cooperative Extension, where she was most proud of the Master Gardener program and continuing her work with 4-H and promoting gardening for all ages. Gail was a 4-H volunteer for over 40 years with Orleans County and was the first female chairperson of the Orleans County Fair and spent countless hours helping kids learn and explore vast amount of opportunities. She was named the Medina Daily News Outstanding Citizen at one point.
Throughout her life, Gail raised goats, sheep, chickens, rabbits, pigs, beef, horses as well as she was a wildlife rehabilitator. She took care of several wild animals, but loved rehabbing deer. The last few years of her life, Gail enjoyed do civil war reenactments throughout the country as a civilian reenactor with the 9th NY Company B, Civil War Reenactment Unit. Gail was also a 50 plus year member of the East Shelby Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary, serving in the majority of officer positions and East Shelby Community Bible Church, where she enjoyed demonstrating how to make goat cheese and goat milk soap and goat milk fudge.
A celebration of life service will be held on Sunday, August 9th at 3:00 PM at the East Shelby Community Bible Church, 5278 E Shelby Rd, Medina, NY 14103 with the Pastor, Rev. Erik Olsen officiating.
A luncheon will be provided by the Ladies Auxiliary of the East Shelby Fire Company at the fire hall’s pavilion immediately following the service.
Per Gail’s request, any memorials can be made to Orleans County Cooperative Extension 4-H programs, 12690 NY-31, Albion, NY 14411, or to the East Shelby Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary, 5021 East Shelby Rd. Medina, NY 14103, or to Richard Knights –Sue Kaderli Memorial Fund, P.O.Box #684, Medina, NY 14103.
Arrangements were entrusted to the Bogan & Tuttle Funeral Home, 226 Pearl St. Medina, NY 14103.
Please share a memory of Gail or light a candle in her name at: www.bogantuttlefunerals.com
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Gail Anstey Culver, please visit our floral store.