James (Jim) Fuller
FULLER, CULBERTSON, KINSEY, MEANS, STOCKMAN, BARTON, WILLIAMSON, GESMACHER, MOMANY
Posted By: Sarah Fletcher (email)
Date: 2/13/2025 at 08:45:43
James (Jim) Fuller was born in Burlington, Iowa, on September 29, 1936 to Jane Cummins Culbertson Fuller and Lowell Louis Fuller. This was the year with the coldest winter followed by the hottest summer on record.
Jim graduated from high school in 1954, where he participated in basketball, football, and track, and in Journalism he won the award of Best High School Sports Page in Iowa. Jim was on the Honor Roll and participated in the junior class play. His family was active in the First Congregational Church of Burlington and Jim was the state vice president of the Pilgrim Fellowship.
After high school Jim attended Grinnell College, majoring in Biology. Once again, he played basketball and was involved in Journalism, graduating in 1958. Following college, he went to dental school at the University of Iowa, earning his DDS in 1962. On March 12, 1960 Jim married the love of his life, Karole Louise Kinsey.
The Fuller family moved to Winfield, Iowa, where Jim was in private practice from 1962-1969. Jim was elected to the city council, served as a volunteer firefighter, and attended Swedesburg Lutheran Church. Starting in 1967, Jim began teaching at the University of Iowa Dental College in the Department of Operative Dentistry. Jim taught Dental Anatomy, authoring a textbook with his colleague Gerald Denehy, called Concise Dental Anatomy & Morphology, which is still used to this day. He also taught Preclinical and Clinical Operative Dentistry, Operative Dentistry for Dental Hygienists, gave numerous state and national lectures, and many continuing education courses. Jim was a member of the ADA, IDA, and SE Iowa Dental Associations.
Jim’s prodigious recall of facts about his students was a beloved characteristic. He earned various honors and awards, including Omicron Kappa Upsilon, serving as president of the local chapter, and numerous Instructor of the Year awards. In 1991-92 Jim earned a Collegiate Teaching Award, and in 1999 was awarded Dental Educator of the Year. He was a member of the dental fraternity Delta Sigma Delta and served as faculty advisor for many years. Jim was a member and faculty representative to the council of faculties of the American Association of Dental Schools. He was on the National Board of Dental Examiners, and was chosen as a Model of Excellence by Selection Research, Inc. Jim earned a distinguished service medal from Yearbook Medical Publishers. He authored various publications in the field of dentistry. The Fuller-Denehy Endowed Professorship was established in recent years.
Jim’s hobbies included family, first and foremost. His children and grandchildren benefited from many opportunities to spend time with him in the great outdoors. He greatly enjoyed birding, wildflowers, hiking, fishing, and nature study. He participated in Kiwanis and was active with Zion Lutheran Church in Iowa City. Jim was a member of the American Birding Association, with a nationally recognized life list of 811 species. In Iowa he saw 392 species, and in his yard he identified 216 species, which was Best in State. Jim served 2 terms as the vice president of the Iowa Ornithologists’ Union and was an active participant in the Iowa City Bird Club. Jim led many field trips and gave lectures on nature and birds. He won the President’s Award for managing the Iowa Rare Bird Alert.
Jim was a devoted fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes, St. Louis Cardinals, and Green Bay Packers. He was proud of attending the World Series in St. Louis in 1944 and went to his first Hawkeye football game in 1946.
After their retirement, Jim and Karole spent time in Borrego Springs, CA, and the adjoining Anza Borrego desert. For over 50 years, they also enjoyed their conservation property at Sand Woods, near Cedar Bluff, Iowa.
Jim is survived by his wife of nearly 65 years, Karole, as well as daughters Anne Means of Madison, WI, Amy (Dean) Stockman of Iowa City, Laura Fuller (Greg Barton) of Coralville, brother Charles (Ellen) Fuller of Burlington, and brother-in-law Ben (Martha) Williamson of Perry. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Anne Fuller Williamson, son in law Steve Means, and foster sister Helen Harp Gesmacher. Jim and Karole have 5 grandchildren: Tyler (Allison Momany) Stockman, Will (Alyssa) Stockman, Katy Means, Claire Means, and Robyn Barton, and 4 great grandchildren: Theo, Otto, Cole, and Bailey Stockman.
Visitation will be held from 2-4:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 16, 2025 at Lensing Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, February 17, 2025 at Zion Lutheran Church in Iowa City with a luncheon to follow. Memorial contributions can be sent to the Fuller-Denehy Professorship at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry, Zion Lutheran Church, or Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation.
Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service
Johnson Obituaries maintained by Cindy Booth Maher.
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