Lavon B. Fulwiler

1928 - 2021

Lavon B. Fulwiler

Lavon B. Fulwiler, a longtime Denton resident, passed away on Feb. 23, 2021, from complications of Parkinson's Disease. The daughter of C.V. "Claude" and Pauline Martin Buster, she was born on Sept. 26, 1928 in Dallas. One of her favorite memories of growing up in Denton was attending the 1939 dedication by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt of the Little Chapel in the Woods, the college chapel at what is now Texas Woman's University.

After receiving a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the institution now known as the University of North Texas, she taught English and Spanish at Freer High School before moving back to Denton to teach English at Denton Junior High. After completing a Master of Arts Degree at UNT, she went on to teaching positions at Arlington State College, now the University of Texas at Arlington, and in 1961 at Texas Woman's University. She subsequently earned a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in English from Michigan State University and in 1971 became Chair of the TWU Department of English, Speech, and Foreign Languages, a position she held for eleven years.

In 1985 she was honored with TWU's Cornaro Outstanding Professor Award, named for Elena Cornaro of Venice, the first woman to become a Doctor of Philosophy in 1678. Following Dr. Fulwiler's retirement in 1992, she was awarded the title of Professor Emeritus by TWU.

Dr. Fulwiler was a member of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, a professional honorary society of women educators. She belonged to the First Baptist Church of Denton, where she taught a Sunday school class for many years and worked on a committee which compiled a history of the church.

In 2002 she appeared in and narrated the City of Denton documentary "Denton 1913," featuring original footage of the May, 1913 Education Day Rally Parade by students of the city's two colleges at Courthouse Square.

She was preceded in death by her sister, Vi Marie Taylor, brother-in-law Wayne Taylor, and nephew Thomas Taylor. Dr. Fulwiler is survived by her daughter Fran Fulwiler and son-in-law Marshall Page of Portland, Oregon, as well as many friends, colleagues, and cousins.

She will be buried on March 12, 2021 following a 10:00 AM graveside remembrance at IOOF Cemetery in Denton, with arrangements by Mulkey-Bowles-Montgomery Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Lavon B. Fulwiler Endowed Scholarship for TWU students whose majors are within the Department of English, Speech and Foreign Languages; The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research; Planned Parenthood Federation of America; or the Center for Biological Diversity.