By LOUIS WILLIAM CUTLER Aug. 23, 1932 – Oct. 9, 2020
Louis William Culter was born in Three Oaks, Michigan to John and Mary Culter. He was the youngest of five children.
Growing up Lou liked to play basketball, go fishing, enjoy the outdoors around Lake Michigan. After high school Lou joined the airforce and was stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he met his wife of 48 years, Dolores Gomez.
Lou and Dolores moved to El Rancho, New Mexico in their early years of marriage where he was warmly welcomed into the Gomez family. He formed a strong bond with his in-laws, brothers and sisters in law, which convinced Lou and Dolores to start a family here in New Mexico.
Lou, Dolores and their daughters Wilma and Wendy moved to White Rock when Lou was hired at Los Alamos National Laboratory where he worked until his retirement. Lou was an active member of the Los Alamos sports community. He coached Little League, Lassie League, and LAHS Girls Softball.
Lou was instrumental in establishing what we know now as the White Rock Softball Complex. He and his team not only played in the White Rock Mens Softball League, but they laid sod, put up fences and built the fields from the ground up. Lou participated in the bowling leagues in Los Alamos and White Rock, and was an avid Hilltopper sports fan. Lou’s love of sports was most apparent in his passion for Dallas Cowboys Football, he was a faithful fan to his last days. GO COWBOYS!!
Lou loved the Los Alamos mountain community, and took every opportunity to camp, fish and hike in the Jemez Mountains with his granddog Willy. He looked forward to his annual trips with son in law Scott, and daughter Wendy, to gather firewood for the winter and their summer camping trips to the Dome, American Springs, and San Antonio Canyon.
Lou also treasured the time he spent with close friends drinking coffee at the White Rock Quick Stop, backpacking in Colorado, going to baseball, basketball and football games, watching Topper sports, playing softball, and just having a great time. He LOVED spending time with people. The saying he “never met a stranger” was something he truly lived by.
Lou was also known around Los Alamos as “Grandpa Lou”; he adored his four granddaughters, Amber, Angelee, Alicia and Amanda. After retiring from LANL he spent countless hours driving his granddaughters around town to activities, and just spending time with them. He was extremely proud to be a dad to his two girls, a grandpa to his four granddaughters, and a great grandpa to his nine great grandkids.
After Dolores passed away in 2002, Lou made the tough decision to move to Albuquerque with his granddaughter Amber and her family. Lou became an active member of the Rio Rancho Senior community where he and his companion Peggy spent most of their time playing cards with friends, and enjoying live music in the area. Lou enjoyed his last years sharing a home and being cared for by his granddaughter Amber, her husband Shane, and their children Paige, and Mason Askew.
Lou was preceded in death by his wife Dolores, and daughter Wilma.
Lou is survived by his daughter and son in law, Wendy and Scott Apgar; grandchildren Amber & Shane Askew, Angelee Rich, Alicia Martinez, Amanda & Eric Tyler; great grandchildren Paige, Mason, Gavin, Alayna, Cade, Aiden, Hailey, Preston and Brady.
Our Dad and Grandpa loved life, he was joyful, kind and loving. He gave to all of us freely, he loved all of us with everything he had. If you knew him, we can say with confidence that he loved you, valued your friendship and cherished the time he spent with you. We are grateful to have had such a wonderful man in our lives, to say we were blessed isn’t enough. We love you Grandpa Lou, you will be missed more than you could ever know.
Due to COVID-19 the family will be having a private burial at this time.
