FULLERTON, Maxine Fay (Laudner) 1926-2008

BUCKINGHAM, LAUDNER, FULLERTON

Posted By: K. Kittleson
Date: 11/16/2008 at 13:14:03

ROCKFORD, IOWA - Maxine F. "Mick" Fullerton, age 82, of 301 W. Main, Rockford, Floyd county, Iowa, died Thursday afternoon, November 13, 2008, at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, November 17, 2008 at the First United Methodist Church, 21 Third St. N.W., Rockford, with the Rev. Judy Wooton officiating. Interment will be next to Roger at Riverside Cemetery, Rockford.

Maxine Fay was born on Mar. 9, 1926, in Marble Rock to Jonathan "Joney" and Ruby (Buckingham) Laudner. Maxine was the fifth of 11 children born into the family. After several years in Marble Rock, the Laudners moved to Rockford, and it was there that Maxine (or "Mick" as she was often called) received her education. She graduated from Rockford High School with the Class of 1943. Previous to her graduation she resided with close friend and mentor, Helen Walker and family. In her senior year, she enrolled in the Normal Training program, completing it by taking the extra required classes following graduation.

For two years, Maxine taught at the Owen Center School. She then moved to Washington, D.C., to work in the Pentagon during the war. She returned to Rockford and with her sister Lorraine, shared teaching responsibilities at the little brick schoolhouse just west of Charles City.

On August 1, 1947, the Rev. Charles Fort of Sheffield, who had officiated at Maxine's baptism and confirmation in Rockford, returned to perform the marriage ceremony for her and Roger James Fullerton, which took place in the apartment home of her friend Helen Walker. The newly married couple occupied an apartment in the same building for some time after their marriage. Mick worked along with Roger at Mosher Electric, which they had purchased from Virgil Mosher for the first five years and then "retired" to become a full-time mom for her two growing children, Anne and Jim.

After seeing her children off to college, she returned to her bookkeeping duties at the store for the next 20 years. Both she and Roger were greatly pained by the closing and selling of the store. Over the many years as business people in Rockford, and serving countless customers in the store and at their homes, they felt remorse at the need to close their business and the impact it would have on the town and surrounding area.

Maxine's church work has always been a vital part of her life. Early on, she participated in the church as Bible and Sunday school teacher and as a M.Y.F. leader. Her involvement also included board chairwoman, financial secretary, treasurer, chairman of finance, stewardship, and auditing committee. Several times she was chairman of the pastor-parish committee, evangelism committee, and the administrative board. Her greatest challenge was being chairman of the Christmas children's program balancing home, lots of kids, and church work at that busy season.

Mick had a special place in her heart working with the women of the church and was past president of the UMW for four years, served as circle chairman and for many many years, and was the UMW treasurer. Along with her local work in the church she served on the district and conference in many capacities and was on the Iowa conference nomination committee.

Her work with the woman of the church aided so many people not only in the church, but Rockford, the nation and internationally as the monies raised in a small town in Iowa went to help women all around the world doing missions.

Mick also had time for herself. She and Roger were some of the first families to help build the Rockford Golf Course and many Saturday nights were spent at potlucks and special golf events.

Once a year she would get Roger to quit work for a week and take the kids somewhere to get away, most often to Clear Lake with her sister and her family. Even though the guys went back to work she made sure everyone had fun. Mick also was the family caregiver and nursed many relatives on both sides back to health or was at their sides when they died.

She was a voracious reader and enjoyed reading her Daily Word, Upper Room, and both newspapers. Her Bible was well worn, earmarked and underlined.

She is survived by her two children, Anne and her husband Steve High, Dodge City, Kan., and Jim and his wife Kelly, Mason City; her nine grandchildren, Morgan and her husband David Lemen and their daughter, Rylee, the only great-grandchild, Taylor High, Samuel, Alyssa, and Taylor Fullerton, Olivia, Annika, Benjamin and Ella; sisters, Wava Uker, Sheffield, Sandra (Daisy) and her husband George West, Palm City, Fla., Dianne Massee, Rockford, Ill.; brothers, Delbert and his wife Mary Lou Laudner, Larry and his wife Mary Laudner all of El Cajon, Calif., Marvin (Pete) and his wife Eileen Laudner Corcoran, Minn.; sisters-in-law, Mary Ellen Laudner and Shirley Fullerton both of Rockford and many, many, many nieces and nephews.

Her husband Roger of 58 years, parents Joney and Ruby Laudner, Marc and Ida Fullerton, sisters Lois and her husband Charles Schulz, Lorraine and her husband Louie, brothers Dallas and Ronald Laudner, and brother-in-law Carl Uker preceded her in death.

Thoughts, condolences, and stories may be shared with the family through the www.Fullertonfh.com Web site. Fullerton Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 123 Second St. S.E., 641-423-8676.
www.Fullertonfh.com

[Published in the Mason City Globe Gazette online, 11/16/2008, www.globegazette.com]