Obituary of John Henry Fulmer

John Henry Fulmer, Sr., 90, of Lexington, SC, passed to his heavenly home on March 2, 2015. A son of the late Reverend Verley L. and Edith Shell Fulmer, Mr. Fulmer was born June 10, 1924, in Leacock , PA, where his father was serving as pastor of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church. He was a graduate of Newberry High School and Newberry College and received his master's degree from Clemson University. Mr. Fulmer served as a principal of Calhoun Falls Elementary School and football coach at Calhoun Falls High School in Calhoun Falls, SC. Coach Fulmer organized the football team in 1947 and also served as baseball coach. In 1950 Coach Fulmer lead his Calhoun Falls Blue Flashes' baseball team to the State Championship. Coach Fulmer's Blue Flashes football teams had 2 regional titles and an undefeated season in 1957. His football teams won 71 games in 13 years. In 1958 he was the head coach for the South Team in the Lunch Bowl and won 14 -0. In 1974 the Calhoun Falls stadium was named "Fulmer Stadium - Home of the Blue Flashes" in his honor. In 2004 Coach Fulmer was inducted into the Calhoun Falls Athletic Hall of Fame. In 1961 Mr. Fulmer left Calhoun Falls to serve for a year as principal at the Tamassee D.A. R. School in the upstate of SC. The following year, he relocated his family to Clinton, SC, to become the principal of the Clinton Junior High School. He retired from education in 1970 but remained in Clinton until 2008. As a coach and principal Mr. Fulmer instilled a love of God and a strong work ethic in his students. He lived his faith. He was known as a strong, but fair disciplinarian. Mr. Fulmer was known for never complaining and always finding the good in everyone he met. He was a loving father, a devoted husband, and faithful servant of God. Mr. Fulmer was a baptized, lifelong Lutheran. He began teaching Sunday School when he was at Newberry College. Because there was no Lutheran church in Calhoun Falls, he joined the Calhoun Falls United Methodist Church and taught the Ladies Sunday School class. In Clinton he taught the Adult Sunday School Class at St. John Lutheran Church, served on the church council for several terms, was given a Life Membership in the Lutheran Men in Mission, and served as Sunday School Superintendent. He was a member of the National Federation of the Blind in Laurens County where he served on the County Board. Mr. Fulmer is survived by his wife of 67 years, Vivian Hubbard Fulmer; two sons, Dr. John H. Fulmer, Jr, of Ridgeland, SC and Dr. Robert V. Fulmer (Debbie) of Rock Hill, SC; a daughter, Mary Edith Bugay (Lenny); and grandchildren, Martin H. Fulmer, Todd A. Fulmer (Hilary), Elizabeth B. Bickley (Jim), J. Lee Bugay (Emily), the Rev. Anna K. Fulmer, Rebecca M. Fulmer, Duncan Foy, Sully Foy; and 6 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Ruth Fulmer Craft of Charlotte, NC and Edith Lorene Fulmer of White Rock, SC and a brother James V. Fulmer of Lancaster, PA. He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Alice Rebecca Pitts and Rachel Fulmer Lever; and two brothers, William Wessinger Fulmer, and Sidney L. Fulmer. The family will receive friends at Thompson Funeral Home in Lexington, SC on Tuesday evening, March 3, 2015 from 6 pm to 8 pm. Funeral services for Mr. Fulmer will be held at St. David Lutheran Church, West Columbia, SC, on Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at 2 pm. with burial to follow in the church cemetery. Memorials may be made to Newberry College, St. John's Lutheran Church, Clinton, SC, or St. David Lutheran Church, West Columbia. The family would like to thank all the nurses and care givers of Ellis Crossing at Carroll Campbell Place for their selfless service and loving care of our daddy. They became our family. We especially commend Michelle, Wilma, Sandy, Ashley, Linda, April, and Katrina. All these ladies are angels on this earth.