Schwerin retires after 60+ years with Culp Bros

Jean Schwerin retired this month from the job she has held with Culp Brothers Inc. in downtown Fort Mill since she was 21 years old.

She worked full-time for nearly 40 years as the shop’s bookkeeper/office manager before scaling back to part-time in the early 1990s.

“I was happy, and it was three minutes from my house,” Schwerin, 85, said.

Culp Brothers was founded by Oscar Thornwell Culp Sr. and his brother Brice D. Culp, and was later handed down to Oscar Thornwell “Buddy” Culp Jr. The Culp brothers operated Fort Mill’s first gas station, then located on Main Street, in 1911. Later, Culp’s Corner, a combination gas station, feed and seed and grocery mart, opened on Spratt Street. Today, the Culp Brothers office is located at 212 S. White St. – behind Little Caesar’s – where it has been since 1976.

Schwerin and longtime friend and co-worker Debbie Sorrow, reminisced last week about the impact the business had on old Fort Mill.

“We were the Exxon distributors for York County, back in the day,” said Sorrow, who has worked for Culp Brothers since 1975. “We sold oil to just about everyone in Fort Mill and Indian Land.”

“We had freezer lockers for rent, this was before people had freezers in their home,” Schwerin added. “We had the best meat in town.”

Buddy Culp passed away on Jan. 18 at the age of 90. Culp Brothers eventually downsized and today the family business leases property to a gas station in Fort Mill and one in Indian Land.

In the office, a 10-inch television collects dust on a desk filled with newspaper articles, pictures and mementos that tell a story a century in the making. Plaques line walls and shelves, next to toy Exxon trucks and wedding portraits of Buddy and his late wife Bette’s daughters, Betts Culp Love and Alison Culp Cookson.

“It was so good to see Mr. Culp’s daughters and families at his service recently,” Schwerin said. “We got to see a lot of old friends.”

Schwerin and Sorrow recall being at work when news spread of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

“Debbie came in and turned on the TV,” Schwerin said.

“I guess that was the last time that TV was on,” Sorrow said.

There were technological advances and growing pains along the way.

“Debbie and I had to go to computer school and I cried a river,” Schwerin said. “Two or three rivers.”

“If it hadn’t been for Debbie,” Schwerin continued, “I wouldn’t have made it.”

Until Culp’s passing last month, Schwerin and Sorrow visited him at Westminster Towers in Rock Hill each week.

“He was like a dad to me,” Sorrow said. “When my dad passed away, he sort of stepped in.”

“Mr. Culp loved Debbie,” Schwerin said.

“Mr. Culp used to joke and say Jean had been with him longer than (his wife) Bette Jo,” Sorrow said.

As for what she will do with her new found freedom, Schwerin said she is “not into hobbies too much.”

“I was in the groove, I’d always worked,” Schwerin said. “About my favorite thing to do is go out to eat and then take me a little nap in the afternoon.”

Sorrow will take over Schwerin’s duties at work, but the two will continue their long held weekly lunch date – where they will share memories from decades gone by.

“They were just so good to me,” Schwerin said.

This story was originally published February 12, 2016 at 6:48 PM with the headline "Schwerin retires after 60+ years with Culp Bros."