Shirley Richardson

Shirley Richardson was born February 18, 1930, in Bengough, Saskatchewan, Canada, to Melvin and Mabel (Anderson) Mossing. She passed away peacefully on December 4, 2023, at the age of 93. She was the second of four children. She grew up on a wheat farm which was a dust bowl area in the early 1900's. Shirley loved living on the farm and knew at an early age that she would become a doctor. She attended a one room country school for her first eight grades, then attended Bengough High School in Saskatchewan for the next two years. There were no school buses so the students had to board in town for high school, so for the next two years Shirley attended the Lutheran Residual School in Outlook, SK.

For the next five years, she attended the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon receiving her B.A. degree and two years of medical school. In 1955 the University of Western Ontario Medical School in London, Ontario awarded Shirley her Medical Doctor's degree. She was one of four girls in a class of 60 students. She followed with a year internship at Victoria Hospital in Ontario. She practiced medicine in various places in Alberta, Canada. In 1963, she took the medical exam from the University of Washington and spent time in anesthesiology residency in Seattle. She received medical training in anethesiology, surgery, delivering babies and everything you could imagine as a general practitioner.

She married Dr. Stephen Richardson in 1955. They traveled for several years and in 1969 they practiced at a Uganda mission. In 1970, they moved to Pomeroy, Wash., to establish a general practice in medicine. They divorced in 1977 and she continued the practice as a solo doctor until the end of 1997 when she retired. Her fondest memories came from her practice in Pomeroy. She always wanted to help people.

She married Dale Culbertson in 1998 and moved to Colfax. They loved to travel and took many trips with the Heritage Club. After Dale's passing in 2012 she remained in Colfax where she became active with the Grandmother's Club, P.E.O., and the Whitman Hospital Auxilliary. She always stayed in doctor's mode, taking blood pressures at Hill-Ray.

Her strong Christian faith carried her throughout her life. She is survived by her three siblings. Doreen Dersch, Bruce Mossing, and Eleanor Boechler all of Canada; two step-children Susan Jackman of Spokane, and Robin Erickson of Colfax, and many nieces and nephews in Canada and the States. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dale Culbertson and stepson, Craig Culbertson.

There will be a funeral service December 15, 2023, at Selbu Lutheran Church at 11:00 a.m. She will be laid to rest with her parents at Una (St. Olaf's) Lutheran Cemetery in Bengough, Canada. Memorials can be made to the Selbu Lutheran Church or a charity of your choice. Corbeill Funeral Homes is caring for the family.