Our History
Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home established in 1885, is the oldest funeral home in Tullahoma. The business was founded by H. P Dewey and M. C. Troxler in a building at the corner of N. W. Atlantic and Moore Streets. Mr. Dewey and Mr. Troxler continued the business with the assistance of Mr. John Modrall until 1905 when Mr. Dewey passed away. Mr. Troxler operated the funeral home until 1912 when Mr. Charles Luther Moffatt from Troy, Tennessee purchased the business. Mr. Moffatt moved the funeral business to a new location on Grundy Street between N E Atlantic and Washington and operated it until his death in 1928. Mr. Claude Seagraves and Mr. Jim Malone purchased the funeral home after Mr. Moffatt’s death. In 1932 Mr. Fred Daves, a native of Mulberry, TN entered the business as a partner of Mr. Jim Malone. In 1934, Mr. Lee Shrader and Mr. R. O. Bomar became partners with Mr. Daves and in 1939, Mr. L. D. Ramsey became a partner. During this time, the funeral home was located on South Jackson Street between Lincoln and Lauderdale Streets.
In 1941, Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home contracted with Camp Forrest Army Command to provide services for military personnel stationed at Camp Forrest and their families. In 1942, Camp Forrest became a WW II prisoner of war camp. Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home also had the contract to provide services for those of the POW’s who died while at Camp Forrest.
In 1947, the funeral home was relocated to its present location, the former home of Mrs. G. A. Parker at 401 N. Jackson Street. Mr. Daves and Mr. Ramsey were partners from 1939 until 1949. In 1949, Mr. Bill Culbertson relocated from Columbia, Tennessee and became a partner with Mr. Fred Daves. In 1953, Mr. Culbertson bought out Mr. Daves and owned and operated the funeral home until his retirement in 1990. At that time, Mr. Jeff Gamble from Winchester, Tennessee purchased the funeral home. During the next two decades, the funeral home changed ownership a couple of times. In November of 2012, Mr. Jeff Gamble repurchased the funeral home. He is proud to be back in Tullahoma providing the quality funeral service families have come to know and trust for the past 128 years.
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Patty Clouse, Licensed Funeral Director, Licensed Embalmer, Manager
Patty is originally from Martinsville, Indiana. She is a graduate of John A. Gupton Mortuary College in Nashville, Tennessee and is now the manager of Daves-Culbertson funeral home in Tullahoma, Tennessee. She holds a license for funeral directing, embalming and pre-need sales.Patty relocated to Tennessee when she married her husband, Rick and they have pastored a church in Manchester, Tennessee for the past 32 years. Patty and her husband enjoy spending time together and spending time with their children and grandchildren.
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Juanita M. Ruff, Licensed Funeral Director
Juanita was raised in Indianapolis, Indiana and graduated from Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Natural Resources/Environmental Science. In 1995 she began working for Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home as a Family Services Counselor. After receiveing her Funeral Director license in January, 1998 she continued to work at Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home until August 2005 when she and her husband decided to relocate. Juanita rejoined Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home in 2013. Juanita and her husband, Joe have two sons and six grandchildren. She and Joe reside in the Tullahoma area and are members of Tullahoma’s First Methodist Church. Juanita is also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Juanita is a licensed Funeral Director and a licensed Pre-need Sales Agent.
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Bobby McBee, Non Licensed Funeral Assistant
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Willie Brunosky, Non Licensed Funeral Assistant
Willie was born in Endicott, New York. He graduated from Union Endicott High School. He went on to attend and graduate from Ohio Christian University in Circleville Ohio with an Associates in Christian Education. While working secular jobs, he accepted a call from the Lord to become a minister. Willie became an ordained minister in 2000 in the Church of the Nazarene. In the fall of 2003 he moved to Winchester Tennessee to pastor the Brownington Church of the Nazarene where he and his wife Brenda and his son Justin reside.
