Hugh R. Fullerton, age 89, of Huron, died Tuesday, December 22, 2015, after a short stay in the SunQuest Health Care Center. His memorial service was held at 10:30 AM, Saturday, December 26th at the First Presbyterian Church with military honors by the Huron Veterans Council. A private burial was held in the Riverside Cemetery. Memorials may be directed toward the First Presbyterian Church, Huron Regional Medical Center Hospice or Huron Regional Medical Center Foundation.
Hugh Fullerton was 89 years old, having been born on March 15, 1926, to L. Carroll and Lucille Fullerton. His birthplace was the Grannis Hotel in Iroquois, South Dakota, and the family moved to Huron shortly thereafter.
Hugh spent his elementary and secondary school years in Huron, graduating from Huron High School on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Immediately following graduation, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and was honorably discharged in 1945 as WWII ended. Hugh returned to Huron and continued his education at the University of South Dakota. On August 3, 1947, Hugh and his high school sweetheart, L. Shirley DeGeest, were married. Following the birth of their first son, Hugh graduated from the School of Business at USD in 1949.
Hugh and his new family returned to Huron to become a partner with his father, Carroll, at Fullerton Furniture, Inc. He assumed control of the business upon his father's passing in 1961 and remained active in the family business throughout his adult life. Following the total loss of the store in a 1962 fire, Hugh choose to rebuild the business and provide continued employment for members of nine other families in Huron, rather than pursue other opportunities presented to him. He was a steadfast supporter of the City of Huron and served a term as President of the Huron Area Chamber of Commerce and was a long-standing member of the Sertoma Club. He also eventually donated to the City the land upon which the original Fullerton Furniture store stood, which now houses the Veterans Memorial.
Hugh was also a leader in supporting the State of South Dakota. He was selected to become a member of the USD School of Business Advisory Board and was active in the Greater South Dakota Association also serving a term as its President.
While he enjoyed his business activity, support of city and state, and helping many others in the community, including numerous young men attending Huron College who were far from home, Hugh's greatest love was for his family. He spent many days at Lake Byron, fishing, water skiing, teaching boating skills to his sons, and enjoying the outdoors. He led the family gathering on the opening day of pheasant season for years, until his health limited his hunting activity. He also enjoyed spending time in warmer weather during the winter months as Hugh enjoyed his retirement years.He was an avid golfer and continually sought to better his game.
He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Rilla Durham.
Survivors include his wife, Shirley, of Huron; four sons, Hugh Jr. (Nancy) of Sioux Falls, William (Marlene) of Huron, Carroll (Julie) of Huron and Dr. Thomas (AnneMarie) of Sioux Falls; nine grandchildren, Abby (Ross) Halter of Huron, Andrew (Amy) Fullerton of Huron, Jay (Molly) Fullerton of Sioux Falls, Hugh Robert Fullerton, III of Phoenix, Arizona, Edward (Tosha) Fullerton of Phoenix, Arizona, Dr. Andrea (Dr. Robert Ullom) Fullerton of Wichita, Kansas, Paul (Sarah Metter) Fullerton of Morristown, New Jersey, Connor Fullerton of Sioux Falls, and Riley Fullerton of Sioux Falls; nine great grandchildren, Lily and Ben Halter of Huron, Charlotte and Genevieve Fullerton of Sioux Falls, Wesley, Allyson, and Owen Fullerton of Huron, Morgan Fullerton of Sioux Falls, and Brooks Fullerton of Phoenix, Arizona; and a AFS exchange student, Dr. Stefan Spinnell from Stockholm, Sweden.