Donald Dean Fullerton

OBITUARY DONALD DEAN "DON" FULLERTON Donald Dean Don Fullerton was born on March 3, 1935. He was the fourth of five children born to Donald Raif (Jerry) and Grace Jane (Hargis) Fullerton. He passed away on Tuesday, April 4, at the age of 71 years, one month and one day. As a youngster, Don attended the Forrest Grove Rural School. He graduated from Bolivar High School in 1953. In high school, he was active in the B Club and vocational agriculture programs, where he earned the State Farmer degree as a member of the Future Farmers of America. During his senior year, he played tackle on the 1953 undefeated football team. Don went to college at the University of Missouri, where he earned a bachelors degree in agriculture in 1957. During his college years, he was an active member of Farmhouse Fraternity, and he participated in many other agricultural events. After graduating from Mizzou in 1957, he joined the U.S. Army, where he spent six months on active duty and several years serving in the Army Reserves before receiving an honorable discharge. Don grew up on a farm, and his adult working experiences continued to center on farm life. He was strong believer that agriculture forms the backbone of our nation, and each of his jobs reflected that belief. In his first job, Don worked as a feed salesman for Cargill, where he spent several years traveling to feed stores throughout southwest Missouri. In the early 1960s, he went to work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture as manager of Polk Countys office of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service. In the late 1960s, he resumed his career as a feed salesman, this time working for with Nutrina Feeds. But it was his career move into the livestock marketing business that Don is most remembered for as a self employed livestock order buyer throughout most the 1970s and 1980s. He traveled widely, buying and selling feeder pigs throughout Missouri and the entire Midwest, from Kansas and Nebraska to Iowa and Illinois. In 1994, Don went to work for the government once again, this time for the state of Missouri. He worked for the Department of Agriculture in New Madrid, where he oversaw inspection of grain leaving the state on barges. At the time of his retirement, he was a manager at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia, where he spent several years, overseeing events and exhibitions during the fair and throughout the year. He initiated the Purple Ribbon Club, a special program supporting the Sale of Champions, which continues to benefit livestock youth exhibitors today. During those years, he also operated a concession stand. His work with the State Fair had been a natural evolution of his familys own involvement with fairs throughout the Midwest. While his children were growing up, Don passed on his love of agriculture. All five of his kids showed livestock steers, heifers, hogs, and even a few sheep at fairs from Bolivar to Springfield, Sedalia to Kansas City. Even once he retired, however, Don couldnt sit still, so he found yet another career. In the early 1990s, he moved back to his hometown of Bolivar for the final time. At the time of his death he was working in public relations for Fantastic Caverns in Springfield. It was an ideal job that allowed him to travel throughout the area and provide his grandchildren with tours of the cave. In addition to his working life, Don also was an active member of the community. A lifelong and outspoken Democrat, he was elected to three terms on the Bolivar R-1 School Board. He was involved in numerous organizations, including the Polk County Fair board, the American Legion and the Bolivar Masonic Lodge. He was an early member of the Bolivar Kiwanis Club and a charter member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of the United Methodist Church and attended Mt. Gilead United Methodist Church. Don was a proud alumni of the University of Missouri and proud that all five of his children attended college there. When his children were at Mizzou, he enjoyed visiting them, attending events and watching ball games. He was an avid follower of Missouris football and basketball teams. But Dons proudest achievement was his family. In 1961, he married Evelyn Callaway. Although that marriage ended in divorce, they remained devoted parents to their five children. He was a doting grandfather to his 13 grandchildren and spent much of his time with them watching t-ball games and school programs, tooling around his farm on the four-wheeler, and chatting about their activities on the telephone. He visited them in three states and one foreign country; supplied them with plenty of souvenirs, t-shirts and toys; and regularly took them to breakfast at Burger King and McDonalds all of which gave him plenty of material to brag to his friends at the coffee shop. Don was preceded in death by his parents and his older brother, Bob. He is survived by his five children and 13 grandchildren: Jane Lemons and her husband, Terry, and children Ben and Sarah of Bristow, Virginia; Leslie Hutter and her husband, Jim, and children Tate, Hayes, Gibbs and Tess of Republic; Betsy Eckols and her husband, Stewart, and children Alex, Blace and Trey of San Antonio, Texas; Jeff Fullerton and his wife, Tommi, and children Logan, Raif and Reed of Bolivar; Jenny Ernst and her husband, Jim, and daughter Carly of Bedford, Iowa. He also is survived by three sisters: Mary Fullerton of Bolivar; Jane Fullerton of Bolivar; Cindy Stewart and her husband, Glenn, of Bolivar and their children, Jerry Dale and Terry; as well several nieces, nephews and cousins. He will be missed by them all. Funeral services were held on Sunday, April 9 at 2 p.m. at Butler Funeral Home in Bolivar with Dr. Ron McIntire officiating. Musical soloist and pianist was Rachael Pyles singing "Amazing Grace" and "Be Thou My Vision", also Brad Paisley singing "When I get where I'm Going". Burial will be in the Mt. Gilead Cemetery under the direction of the Butler Funeral Home of Bolivar. Casketbearers were: Jeff Fullerton, Jim Hutton, Terry Lemons, Jim Ernst, Stewart Eckols and Jerry Dale Stewart. Military Honors were conducted at the cemetery by the Flemington AMVETS Post 114. Memorial contributions can be made to Mt. Gilead Methodist Church in Bolivar or to the American Heart Association % Butler Funeral Home, P.O. Box 11, Bolivar, MO 65613. Friends may sign the guest book or sent private condolences at www.butlerfuneralhome.com PDF Printable Version

Donald Dean Fullerton

March 3, 1935 - April 4, 2006