Robert B. Fulton

Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, September 5, 2025, at St. John's Abbey Church in Collegeville for Robert Bradbury (Bob) Fulton (83) of Avon, who passed away peacefully at home in his sleep on August 23, 2025. Reverend John Klassen, OSB will officiate. Entombment of the urn will take place in Saint John's Alumni and Friends Cemetery in Collegeville.
Visitation will take place from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Thursday at the Daniel Funeral Home in St. Joseph and one hour prior to services on Friday at the Abbey Church.
Bob was born in International Falls, Minnesota on July 2nd, 1942, to John Robert (Jack) Fulton and Jessie Winifred Sexton. He was the eldest of five siblings; two sisters, Denise (who died in infancy) and Beverly (Bev) as well as three brothers, Daniel (Dan), John (Wally) and Richard (Dick). All five siblings predeceased Bob.
Bob graduated from International Falls High School in1960. He liked school and was a very good student. He was interested in the sciences, particularly chemistry. He also played football for the International Falls Broncos.
Bob attended the University of Minnesota Duluth as an undergraduate, where he graduated with honors in Chemistry in 1964. While he was a student at UMD, Bob met Jackie and spent many hours with her, often at school activities where they shared their mutual interest in dancing. Jackie spent a week with Bob's family in Rainier in the summer of 1964 during which time Bob discovered he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Jackie, and on August 21,1965, it became official. They just celebrated their 60-year wedding anniversary.
After completing his undergraduate program at UMD, Bob enrolled in the analytical chemistry program at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis where he earned his Doctor of Philosophy in 1968. Bob received a NASA fellowship as well as a teaching scholarship. After completing his PhD, Bob accepted a postdoctoral research fellowship at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory in Los Alamos, NM where his daughter Lisa was born on December 17, 1968.
In the fall of 1969, Bob joined the chemistry faculty at what would later become the joint chemistry department of St. John's University and the College of Saint Benedict. On October 30, 1970, Bradley joined the family. Bob spent 39 years at St. John's and St. Ben's, before retiring in the spring of 2008. He was a respected Professor Emeritus of Chemistry at SJU/CSB.
Bob loved to fish and took many trips to the BWCAW with his family and friends as well as numerous faculty fishing trips. He and Jackie enjoyed many years of cooking with their food group, playing bridge with friends, and singing with the Canticle Singers. They also enjoyed traveling and cruising both domestically and abroad. Bob loved living on the lake and spent many hours outdoors gardening, boating and fishing. He was also an avid game player. Above all he treasured time with his children and grandchildren.
Bob is survived by his wife Jackie, daughter Lisa (Matt) Szromba and grandchildren William and Peter; son Brad (Jen) Fulton and grandchildren Ben and Lee; and many beloved extended family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, consider a donation to the Parkinson's Foundation.