Phillip Barden Culbreth, aged 72, of Lumberton, North Carolina, died July 25, 2023, following a long battle with cancer. He passed peacefully surrounded by family and friends.

He was born in Lumberton, on November 30, 1950; the son of the late William Kemp Culbreth and Beatrice Marshall Culbreth.

Phillip attended North Carolina State University where he studied Forestry and where he met his late wife, Jones Lyon, of Durham. In 1972 they married and made a home on the family farm outside of Lumberton. Phillip was a land surveyor and founded Culbreth Land Surveying, which operated in both North and South Carolina, until his retirement.

Surviving is one son, Barden, of Raleigh; three brothers, William, Tom, and Robert; and nieces Amanda (James), Cynthia, and Caitlin (Austin) and nephews, Kemp (Betsy) and Joe. Phillip enjoyed a strong support network of friends and family, including Timothy Todd, Mark and Gene Sampson, Barbara and Glenn McQueen, Amy and Casey McQueen, Rose and Tammy Privette, and many others who helped him especially in the years following the death of his wife.

Phillip enjoyed sports, the outdoors, hunting, fishing, riding horses, and raising birddogs.  He became active in the birddog community and was national US Complete President for several years. In 2009, he was named US Complete Man of the Year.

After a long six years, both Phillip and Jones are united again.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you donate to the Lumber River United Way,  P.O. Box 2652, Lumberton, NC 28359.

The family will receive guests from 4 to 6pm on Thursday, July 27th at Floyd Mortuary in Lumberton. Interment will take place at a later date in Meadowbrook Cemetery also in Lumberton.