It is with saddened hearts that the Wyandotte Nation announces the passing of Carla Culver on Sept. 28, 2023.

Carla was a longtime resident of the Wyandotte area and a proud member of the Wyandotte Nation. Her mother, Gladys Powell, was a member of both the Wright and Pipe Wyandotte families. Carla graduated from Fairland, Okla., High School. She received her Associates of Art Degree from NEO A&M College in Miami, Okla., and her Bachelors of Science Degree from Missouri Southern State College in Joplin, Mo.

Carla spent her professional life primarily in Education. She began working as a substitute teacher in the Wyandotte, Okla., school system and after graduation from MSSC became a full-time teacher there. On Jan. 1, 1986, she became an employee of the Wyandotte Nation and in 1987 Carla Culver became the first Director of Education for the Wyandotte Nation.

In 1993 the Wyandotte Nation Preschool was recognized as a national model for preschools. Her dedication to her people and their education has left a legacy for all those who come after her to strive toward.

As a testament to her lifelong efforts to educate the future of the Wyandotte Nation, Carla was honored in 2007 with the dedication of the new Education Center being named after her. In 2015, Wyandotte Nation named Carla Culver as the Honored Person of the Year.