Corrections Officer Timothy Patrick Culbertson  485
(1950-2025)

 

 

Tim was born on July 17, 1950 to William S. and Rosemarie (Lamping) Culbertson. He attended Gamble Junior High School, Western Hills High School, and Western Hills Night School and graduated in 1978. From 1979 to 1981, he attended Cincinnati Technical College for Private Police Training and in 1983 Diamond Oaks Vocational.

Tim enlisted in the United States Army in January 1968. He completed U.S. Army Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia and was then assigned to Fort Dix, New Jersey until June. On September 4, 1968, he shipped out to Vietnam where he served two tours as Paratrooper and Radio Operator. On September 11, 1969, Specialist 4 Culbertson suffered machinegun and shrapnel wounds and spent seven months in a hospital. He returned home on April 4, 1970 to Fort Hood, Texas. Specialist 4 Culbertson was honorably discharged in January 1971 with a National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with Silver Service Start (involved in five major campaigns), Army Commendation Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, and Purple Heart.

Specialist Culbertson was left with a lifetime of physical and emotional scars. He had tremendous nightmares that sometimes resulted in actions while he ‘slept.’ He did not hide them, nor suffered through them without getting help and helping others through theirs. Over the next decades, his circumstances and efforts were highlighted in many newspaper articles. In the 1970s he founded the Cincinnati Chapter No. 1 of the Vietnam Veterans of America and was elected its first president.  In the late 1990s, he was instrumental in the recreation of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, and the Cheviot-Western Hills chapter. In July 2000, he was appointed Commander of the new chapter. He continued working to help other veterans well into his later years.

From May 1981 to June 1986, Tim was a security officer at Stouffers/Clarion Hotel.

Tim joined the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office on June 26, 1986 as a Corrections Officer. Officer left the Sheriff’s Office on August 9, 2000 with 17 years of service to our country and county and numerous letters of appreciation and/or commendation.

Officer Culbertson died on March 24, 2025 at the age of 74.

Officer Culbertson is survived by his wife of 22 years, Mary Ann (Noelting Gabel) Culbertson.

He was buried on May 8, 2025 at the Dayton National Cemetery. We were notified June 2, 2025.

 

_{© 2025 – All rights are reserved to LT Stephen R. Kramer RET and the Greater Cincinnati Police Museum.}