George Henry Fulton

The Roanoke businessman and well-known amateur golfer, George Henry Fulton, 87, died on Saturday October 4, 2008. Fulton owned and operated Fulton Motor Company, a Chrysler dealership, for more than 50 years; he also owned Fulton White Truck Company in Roanoke for many decades. His accomplishments as a golfer were legendary in Roanoke. Fulton's greatest achievements both came in 1954 at the famous Cascades Golf Course in Hot Springs. He won the Virginia state Amateur championship, and in a different competition on the same course later that summer, broke Sam Snead's course record by shooting 62. Fulton also qualified for the U.S. Amateur five times, played in the British Amateur championship and won the Roanoke City-County golf championships eight times. He was elected to the Roanoke Valley Golf Hall of Fame, and there is a 600-square-foot golf room inside the Boys and Girls Club in Southeast Roanoke, dedicated to him. He was especially proud of his service as president of the Virginia State Golf Association.
Fulton was born in Elkin, N.C. and his family moved to Roanoke when he was 11 years old. He graduated magna cum laude from Hampden-Sydney College, then immediately entered the Navy as an officer after World War II broke out. He was an active business leader in Roanoke, serving for many years on the boards of Roanoke Memorial Hospital (now Carilion), Colonial American National Bank (now Sun Trust), Hunting Hills Country Club and the Shenandoah Club, where he served as president.
He was predeceased by his parents, George Henry Fulton Sr. and Clyde Snow Fulton. He is survived by daughters, Katherine Fulton of Berkeley, Calif., and Sally Cardamone, of Hilton Head, S.C.; son-in-law, John Cardamone and daughter-in-law, Katharine Kunst; grandchildren, Christopher Cardamone and Helen Cardamone; sisters, Jean Fulton Wingerd, of Chambersburg, Pa. and Kathryn Fulton Alston, of Henderson, N.C.; former wife, Sally Fishburn Crockett; and 12 nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that gifts be made to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southwest Virginia.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, October 7, 2008 at St. John's Episcopal Church, at the corner of Elm and Jefferson streets in downtown Roanoke. The family will receive friends at the church following the service. Burial will be private.