Earl Culley

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Earl Lester Culley (80), of Rupert, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, at Cassia Regional Hospital after a courageous battle with cancer.

Earl was born in Rupert, Idaho on January 15, 1945, the only son of the late Lester G. and Mildred A. Culley. After graduating from Minidoka County High School, Earl attended the University of Idaho in Moscow and was conferred a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology in 1968. He began his sales career of over 40 years in Milwaukie, Oregon as a Farm Equipment and Motor Truck Salesman at International Harvester in November 1968. 

Earl married Barbara Svancara of Buhl, Idaho in June 1968; they had two children together. After the birth of their first child, Earl transferred to Gem International in Burley, Idaho to maintain closer ties to his parents and extended family. Earl was inducted as a Freemason in 1977 and lived in accordance with the fraternity’s principles of self-improvement, mutual aid, and community involvement. He continued the work he loved selling trucks for Magic Valley International, Lake City Trucks, and Mountain Meadow Motors into his seventies.

In December 1994, Earl married Jean Fassbender, a Michigan native and English teacher at Declo High School. They enjoyed more than 20 years together sharing their love of reading, exploring the outdoors, spending summers at camp in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and connecting with family and friends. After Jean’s death in 2016, Earl bonded with the Miguel Magaña family as an honorary grandparent and found great joy in working and feasting with the family, attending soccer and basketball games, and traveling to Mexico on several occasions.

Earl is survived by his children, Alan (Dawn) Culley of Wheat Ridge, Colorado and Jana (Walter) Bergeron of Abbeville, Louisiana; stepdaughter Lisa (Sidney) Chiang of Stokesdale, North Carolina; stepdaughter-in-law, Lynne Garrett of Punta Gorda, Florida; grandchildren, Samuel, Hannah, and Laura Culley, Evan Bergeron, Jett and Luke Chiang, and Nathan Garrett.

He was preceded in death by his father, Lester Culley; mother, Mildred (Harbour) Culley; and stepson, Bob Garrett.

Funeral services were held on Monday, June 23, 2025, at Hansen Mortuary. Graveside services followed on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at the Rupert Cemetery. 

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