Richard Reeves "Dick" Fuller

Services for Richard Reeves "Dick" Fuller, 83, of Longview, will be 2 p.m. today, August 20, 2010, in the Sanctuary of the First United Methodist Church of Longview with the Rev. Mike Schutz officiating. Interment will follow in Memory Park Cemetery.

Mr. Fuller was born in Greenville, Texas, to Claude Reeves and Winnie Dee Heath Fuller on October 8, 1926. He moved to Longview in 1935 and entered Longview schools. He joined First United Methodist Church in Longview in 1936. He graduated from Longview High School in 1944. While in Longview High School, Dick was class President and elected President of the High School Student body his senior year.

He volunteered for the Army and left the morning after his graduation ceremony. While in the Army, he served with the military government in Tokyo, Japan. He attained the rank of Staff Sergeant. After discharge from the Army, Dick continued his education at S.M.U., graduating in 1949 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.

While home for a weekend from S.M.U. in 1949, he was introduced to Billie Louise Dunbar, who became the love of his life. They were married October 28, 1950. They would have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in October.

The week after graduation, he entered into the building business with his father, C.R. Fuller and brother, Bob Fuller. Dick soon ventured out, building on his own and then became a Real Estate Broker and Real Estate Loan Agent. and Real Estate Loan AgentIn 1956, he entered the insurance business as a partner with Floyd Lane, known as Lane-Fuller Insurance Agency. One year later, after Floyd Lane's death, he became sole owner.

As the years went by, other agencies merged with his, and it became Insco Insurance Agency. He retired from business in 1999.

Dick and Billie were blessed with two sons, George Richard Fuller and Mark Robert Fuller.

Dick was active in civic and community organizations. He was President of the Jaycees working hard on all undertakings, especially the Gregg County Fair. He served in all the offices, including that of President in the Exchange Civic Club, the Longview Home Builders Association, Longview Board of Realtors, Longview Independent Insurance Agents, and was a member of the Texas Association of Independent Insurance Agents, and Citizen's Police Association. He also belonged to the Longview Chamber of Commerce, East Texas Chamber Of Commerce, The Summit Club, and for many years, a member of Pinecrest Country Club. He worked with the Christmas Corner, and the annual estate sale, to raise funds for the Longview Symphony. He was a member of First United Methodist Church and the Henry Foster Sunday School Class.

Dick enjoyed traveling very much, and he and his wife, Billie, were privileged to travel all over the world. He especially enjoyed cruises and for their 50th wedding anniversary, they celebrated with five cruises.

Dick was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He had a steadfast devotion to God, family and work, in that order. He never questioned God's plan for his life, even in death.

Dick was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Margaret Fuller and her husband Garner Fuller; and brother, Robert C. "Bob" Fuller.

He is survived by his loving spouse, Billie Louise Fuller of Longview; two sons, George Richard Fuller (Nikki) of Granbury, Texas, and Mark Robert Fuller (Suzanne) of Longview; three grandchildren, Cindy Fuller Baugh and husband, Jerry Baugh of Waxahachie, Clinton Richard Fuller of Fort Worth, and their mother Joan Kerley and Robert Lane Fuller of Longview, now a student at Texas A&M in College Station, Texas and his mother, Kay Fuller-Swigart; three great-grandchildren, Brenna Baugh, Mackenzie Baugh, and Zachary Baugh, all of Waxahachie, Texas; sisters-in-law, Frances Fuller, Joyce Whitehurst and husband, Gene Whitehurst, both of Longview, and Patsy Cefalu and husband, Vito Cefalu of Shreveport, Louisiana; nephews, Bill Fuller of San Antonio and Larry Jones of Tyler; nieces, Karen Gay Ray of San Antonio, and Susan Kay Edwards of Spring.

Serving as pallbearers are Dr. N. Brannon Riddle, Charles Drake, Thomas Welch, John Willis, Charles Hinton, Jimmy Blakley, Dr. Richard England, Doug Brinkley, Brian Rumpel, John Swigart, Jerry Baugh and Johnny Dunaway. Honorary pallbearers will be Morris Ferrell, Raymond Curry, Hubert Akins, James Ross, Carroll Harris, Jason Peterson, Bill Cleary, Marvin Sapaugh, Nelson Bates, Don Holley, Jerrell Huffman, Tommie Daniels, Dr. John Guttry, John Harrison, Bob Maness, Dr. Gene Langford, Donald Peacock, Robert Sprouse, Dr. Wayne Legg, Dr. Robert Guttry, Ray Edelman, Troy Guinn, and Dr. Bill Taylor.

A special thank you is extended to Dr. Margaret Schoestaedt and Dr. Stacey Holder and the dedicated and loving nurses and staff at Beacon Hospice at Margaret's House.

Memorials may be made to Beacon Hospice at Margaret's House, P.O. Box 5908, Longview, Texas 75608.

An online registry may be signed at www.news-journal.com, by clicking on the obituaries link.