Lillian Randall

Mrs. Lillian Jane Culpepper (aÌ‚â‚Å“Cullyâ₝) Randall, 79, of Gulfport, Mississippi, died Thursday, October 15, 2009, following a lengthy illness. A retired teacher, Cully was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. S. Clifton Culpepper, Jr. of Honolulu, HI, and Mrs. Lucille Nason Culpepper of Gulfport, MS; sisters, Betty (aÌ‚â‚Å“Sageâ₝) Belt of Santa Ynez, CA and Marian Stroup of Kailua, HI; and a granddaughter Anne Kathryn Marshall. Survivors include her husband of 60 years, William A. (aÌ‚â‚Å“Picketâ₝) Randall, Sr.; sons Bill (wife Doris) of Gulfport, MS, Jeff (wife Sally) of Madison, MS, Steve (wife Lynne) of Pensacola, FL; daughters Marian Marshall (husband Joey) of Springfield, LA, Martha Stephens (husband Paul) of Tupelo, MS and Lucy Pribyl (husband Barry) of Gulfport, MS; seventeen grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Born in Hawaii, Cully attended Punahou School in Honolulu. Soon after witnessing the attack on Pearl Harbor, Cully and her sisters were sent to live with her mother in Mississippi. Cully graduated from Gulfport High School as a member of the Class of 1948. She attended the University of Alabama and graduated with a degree in education from the University of Southern Mississippi. Cully subsequently earned a MasteraÌ‚â‚â„¢s Degree in English from the University of Southern Mississippi and began work there on her doctorate.
Soon after they were married, Cully and Picket moved to New Mexico and then to Alabama so Picket could complete his education and play college football. After college, Cully and Picket returned to Gulfport where she devoted the early years of their marriage to raising their six children. From 1969 to 1980, she taught Senior English and served as Senior Class and yearbook sponsor at Gulfport High School. She was devoted to her students and their education. The Senior Class of 1973 dedicated the Gulfport High Annual to Cully for aÌ‚â‚Å“making life at GHS more enjoyable for students and faculty.â₝
She joined Mississippi Power Company in 1980 and served in its Human Resources Department as a trainer until her retirement. Cully then spent time traveling with her sisters and visiting children and grandchildren. She devoted incredible energy to organizing large family gatherings at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Much of her life revolved around her church and she followed multiple generations of family as an active and committed member of the Episcopal Church. Cully was a life-long member of St. PeteraÌ‚â‚â„¢s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church where she sang in the choir, taught Sunday School, was an EYC sponsor, a member of the Episcopal Church WomenaÌ‚â‚â„¢s organization, served on the Vestry and was a delegate to Diocesan Annual Council. For many years, Cully was recognized on MotheraÌ‚â‚â„¢s Day as having the largest family at St. PeteraÌ‚â‚â„¢s.
Additionally, Cully was active in numerous organizations and boards, including the Daughters of the American Revolution, Colonial Dames, Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, Gulfport Junior Auxiliary, Merry Maskers, the Culture Club and as a trustee of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.
Visitation will be held on Friday, October 16, 2009, at the RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 11280 Three Rivers Road, Gulfport, from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. and on Saturday, October 17, 2009, at St. PeteraÌ‚â‚â„¢s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, 1912 East Beach Blvd., Gulfport beginning at 10:00 a.m.
The funeral mass will begin at 11:00 a.m. at St. PeteraÌ‚â‚â„¢s with the Revs. Melanie Lemburg, Diane Livingston and Paul Stephens officiating. Burial will follow at Floral Hills Memorial Gardens in Gulfport.
Grandsons Ashton Randall, Jaks Randall, Will Randall, Garrett Marshall, Nason Stephens, Barry Pribyl and nephews Rich Randall and Biff Randall will serve as pallbearers.
The Randall family would like to thank Gulfport Memorial Hospital staff members Drs. Niaz Haque and Hema Edupuganti, Nurses Kristian Barnes, Nikki Whitman and Danielle Shaw, and Jeff Leaver, MST, and the entire staff at Driftwood Nursing Home for the exceptional care provided to Cully during her illness.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to St. PeteraÌ‚â‚â„¢s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, 1909 15th Street, Gulfport, MS 39501 or to the Mississippi Chapter of the AlzheimeraÌ‚â‚â„¢s Association, 1900 Dunbarton Drive, Jackson, MS 39216.
An online obituary may be viewed and guestbook signed at www.riemannfamily.com