Culpan started a 4-year apprenticeship at Grafton Pharmacy in 1946. He met his wife June while working at that pharmacy; she was a nurse at Auckland Hospital. Once qualified, Culpan became relieving pharmacist for Frank Sanft in Remuera. Sanft died of a heart attack in April 1956 and Sanft's widow asked Culpan to continue the pharmacy, and he eventually bought the business from the estate, and then the building the business was in. He changed its name to Remuera Pharmacy, which caused a stir amongst his peers as all pharmacies were known under the names of their owners, and there were several pharmacies in the suburb. He sold the business in 2003 to one of his former apprentices and retired from the pharmacy in 2005.[3][5][6]
Family and death
The Culpans had two daughters and two sons. The family lived in Clonbern Road, which is off Remuera Road and enabled Culpan to walk to work.[6] Culpan died in Cambridge on 24 August 2021, aged 91. His wife had died before him.[1]