Freddie D. Culbreath's Obituary
Noted businessman, civic leader, and aviation advocate Fred Culbreath, 87, of Hendersonville, Tennessee passed away Tuesday November 25 following a recent hospitalization.
He is survived by the “love of his life” Anna Marie Culbreath, his wife of 67 years. Additional survivors include two daughters - Barbara “Bobbie” Culbreath of Atlanta and Lisa Grissim Koetters of Hendersonville; three grandchildren - Culbreath Hunt Bogard of Atlanta, Anna Maria Grissim of Hendersonville, and John Foster Grissim of Nashville; and two great-grandchildren Winifred Foster Morrisey and Grissim Hughes Morrisey of Hendersonville.
Born in Portland, TN, he was the son of the late Leila and Raymond Searcy Clubreath. He was predeceased by four siblings; Joe Culbreath, Bob Culbreath, Jack Culbreath, and Betty Pitt. Surviving Siblings include Sarah Tate of Cottontown and Sharon Summers of Portland.
In business circles, he was best known as founder of Imperial Fabricating of New Deal. TN. The company specialized in steel manufacturing for the automotive and trucking industries with a nationwide reach, including a presence in Tennessee, Oklahoma, Texas, Washington and California. Other business enterprises over the years included Fleet Design Hydro Systems and Imperial Chemical Cleaning Company as well as investments in real estate and energy resources.
He first became a pilot in the spring of 1964 and became a devoted advocate for pilots and improvements to aviation infrastructure throughout middle Tennessee. He served several terms as Chair of the Tennessee Aeronautics Commission between 2000 and 2014. He also served for decades on the board of the Portland Municipal Airport, which managed Douglas Hunter Field in Portland. Late in life, to the horror of his family, he even learned to skydive!
Among his many civic leadership roles were serving as Chairman of United Way of Sumner County for multiple terms, He also served more than a decade as a Board member for Volunteer State Bank of Portland and as President and longtime board member of the Bluegrass Yacht and Country Club of Hendersonville.
He was an active and dedicated member at the 33rd degree of the Al Menah Temple of the Scottish Rite in Nashville with past service as potentate. He was also an active and honored member of the Royal Order of Jesters Court in Nashville.
In recent years, he sometimes met with former Imperial Fabricating Company employees as they gathered to reminisce at the local Cracker Barrel. He was an avid lifetime runner, boater, farmer, cattleman and gardener.
He was a member of Halltown Baptist Church in New Deal and later a member of the FIrst Baptist Church of Hendersonville.
Services will be held on Sunday, November 30, 2025, at 11:00 AM in the Chapel of Spring Hill Funeral Home. David Culbreath, Annamaria Morrissey and John Foster Grissim will share words of remembrance. Visitation will take place on Saturday, November 29, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Spring Hill Funeral Home. A Masonic service will be held on Saturday, at 5:30pm.
Spring Hill Funeral Home is honored to care for Fred Culbreath. Spring Hill Funeral Home and Cemetery 5110 Gallatin Pike, Nashville, TN 37216 Phone: 615-865-1101 | http://springhillfh.com
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