Mary Alice Culberson

Mary Alice Thornton Culberson was born November 4, 1931 in New Boston, Texas, to Porter Russell Thornton and Willie Duren Thornton.  She grew up in the Malta, DeKalb, and Hooks area, graduating from Hooks High School.  During her senior year, she was voted “most beautiful”.  She married Billy Steve Culberson on July 19, 1950.  Together, they had two children, Billy Steve, Jr., and Dixie Lynn.

Mary had an amazing green thumb.  Plants covered her patio, as well as her beautiful flowerbeds.  She also kept a lot of indoor plants.  She and her husband, Bill, also loved playing Canasta.  She was always up for a game, usually lasting into the morning hours!  But their favorite get-away was to Vegas!  Mary Alice loved those one-armed bandits!

Mary became a widow at age 43.  She said she never remarried because she already had the BEST.  She and Bill owned a drug store in Hooks.  She also worked at Red River, then spent her last working years in the pharmacy at Millar Drug Store in Grand Prairie.  In retirement, besides trips to Vegas with friends or Dixie and Bob, some of her favorite times were babysitting Todd and Kaitlyn Hansen.  She loved them like grandchildren.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Russell and Willie Thornton; her husband, Bill Culberson; her son, Billy Steve Culberson; her daughter-in-law, Brenda Culberson; her brother, William Russell Thornton and her sister-in-law, Bobbie Gaulden Thornton.

She is survived by her daughter, Dixie and husband, Bob Stachowiak; grandson, Brent Turman and wife, Liz and their children, Briggs, Eli, and Naomi; granddaughter, Sarah Stachowiak and husband, Tyler Hill and their children, Stella and Otto, grandson, Tim Stachowiak and wife, Jeanne and their children, Peter and Andrew and grandson, Billy Jacob Culberson.  Also surviving Mary is a special niece, Glenda Adams and husband Jimmie.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate contributions to the Northeast Texas Children’s Museum, P.O. Box 994, Commerce, Texas 75429.