Beverley Jane Kulp

Beverley Jane Kulp, lovingly known as Jane, passed peacefully on Saturday, May 23, 2026. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, teacher, librarian, author, church leader, and lifelong servant of Christ, Jane leaves behind a legacy of faith, education, and service that touched countless lives.

Jane was born on August 6, 1945, in Canton, Pennsylvania, to Frank and Betty Mott (deceased). Jane is survived by her beloved husband of nearly 58 years, Newton E. Kulp; her daughter, Susan C. Kastner; her sons, J. Daniel Kulp and Andrew P. Kulp; six grandchildren; and one great-grandson. She is also survived by 3 of her siblings, Marilyn Austin, Rodney Mott, and Michael Mott. Her family was her greatest earthly blessing, and she cherished every moment spent with them.

A passionate learner and educator, Jane earned her Bachelor of Education in Library Science from Mansfield State College in 1967, a Master of Library Science from Drexel University in 1971, and later a Master of Religious Education from Luther Rice Seminary in 2001.

Throughout her distinguished career, Jane dedicated herself to nurturing young minds and fostering a love of learning. She served as a secondary and elementary school librarian in Pennsylvania at Palisades High School and within the Centennial School District before relocating to Florida. There, she worked as an elementary school librarian at Osteen Elementary School (1989–1990), Children's and Youth Librarian at the DeLand Public Library (1990–1995), and elementary school librarian at Holly Hill Elementary School (1995–1998). She then became a fifth-grade teacher at DeBary Elementary School, where she taught from 1998 until her retirement in 2007. From 2008 to 2020, she continued her educational ministry by writing and teaching curriculum for middle school homeschool students.

Jane's excellence in education was widely recognized. She became a National Board Certified Teacher in 2003, was named Outstanding Social Studies Teacher of the Year for Volusia County Schools in 2004, and was selected as a finalist for the 2005 Volusia County Schools Teacher of the Year.

An accomplished writer and published author, Jane contributed monthly columns on Christian teaching techniques to several religious education magazines throughout the 1970s and 1980s. In 1978, she created and published the Christian educational game The Apostles. During the 1990s, she authored and taught custom curricula for Women's Bible Studies and the Junior Church program at Deltona Alliance Church, where she also served as director. Following retirement, Jane published two scriptural studies on Ruth and Proverbs 31, along with three extensive books documenting her family's genealogy.

Among her many accomplishments, Jane considered one of her greatest joys the development of church libraries. She organized and established four church-related libraries: Hilltown Baptist Church in Hilltown, Pennsylvania; Church of the Good Samaritan in Holland, Pennsylvania; Deltona Alliance Church in Deltona, Florida, whose collection has grown to more than 5,000 volumes; and the library at Mukti Mission's English Upper School in India, serving women and children in need.

Jane's talents and interests extended far beyond the classroom. She was an accomplished pianist who operated her own piano school for beginning students. She was also a passionate indoor horticulturist who delighted in propagating houseplants and nurturing her collection, which numbered more than 200 plants at the time of her passing. Family and friends are invited to take a plant from the memorial service as a living remembrance of her. Jane was also an avid reader whose love of books enriched both her life and the lives of those around her.

Above all, Jane was a woman of deep and abiding faith. Her favorite Scripture verse, Isaiah 40:31, reflected the hope that guided her life: "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

A memorial service celebrating Jane's life will be held on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Deltona Alliance Church, with a reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to Deltona Alliance Church for the Jane Kulp Library Memorial Fund at https://www.bragonjesus.org/giving , or to the Mukti Mission Library Project in Jane's memory at http://jane-kulp.muktimission.us , supporting the library she helped establish for abused women and children in India.

A graveside service will be held at a later date at Mott Memorial Cemetery in LeRoy, Pennsylvania.

Though she will be deeply missed, Jane's legacy lives on through the countless students she taught, the libraries she built, the books she wrote, the faith she shared, and the family she loved so dearly.