Mary Ruth Culbert

MARY RUTH CULBERT

Marion

Mary Ruth Culbert, 85, passed away Monday, May 25, 2020, in her home at the Villages of Marion. A private graveside service will be held at a later date.

Mary Ruth was born May 2, 1935, in Cedar Rapids, to H.A. "Sid" and Katherine (Amlund) Culbert. She graduated from Marion High School and Iowa State Teachers College. After a year teaching junior high school in Britt, Iowa, she moved to Tempe, Ariz., where she taught at Arizona State University. Mary Ruth continued her graduate studies in psychology at Columbia University before becoming an instructor at Staten Island Community College, a position she held for many years. Also during that time, she had a private psychotherapy practice in Manhattan, which she continued after her retirement from teaching.

Mary Ruth was a strong-willed, adventurous and generous person. In addition to being a gracious and energetic host the many times family members visited her in New York City, she loved to travel, especially with her sisters, who accompanied her on trips to Mexico, Costa Rica, the United Kingdom and Russia. Once, helping a friend transport paintings to a museum exhibit in Lithuania, she wore a week's worth of clothes to make room in her luggage for the paintings.

After finally retiring from her practice, Mary Ruth lived in Montauk, N.Y., and then Sedona, Ariz., before returning to Marion to be close to her family.

She will be dearly missed by her surviving sister, Virginia Hopkins of Marion; and her nieces and nephews, Terri (Bo) Vernon, Shelly (Terry) Bridges, Gerry (Liz) Hopkins, Barry (Emmy) Hopkins, Ronn (Barbie Smreker) Beebe and Paul Beebe.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Bethine Beebe.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Verde Valley Sanctuary, Sedona, Ariz., or the organization of your choice.