Paul O’dell Fuller was born February 6, 1928, in Peru, Kansas, to Atron Paul Fuller and Grace Pearl Barnhart. He died Sunday, June 12, 2022, in Collinsville, Oklahoma, at the age of 94 years. During Paul’s boyhood years he enjoyed the outdoors hunting and fishing. He often brought home catfish, rabbits, and squirrels for his mom to cook.In his teenage years, Paul farmed 700 acres with his dad in the Kansas sandhills between Caney, Kansas, and Sedan, Kansas. They farmed and grew five acres of black diamond watermelons, cantaloupe, wheat, corn, and oats, as well as garden vegetables to sell to the local people.
He met Dorothea Ann Courtney through a school friend Johnny Finney, who married Dorothea’s sister Pearl. Paul and Dorothea were married at the Courtney home on September 11, 1948, and enjoyed 47 years together. They made their home in Niotaze, Kansas, for eight years before moving to Collinsville, Oklahoma, in 1956, where Paul started a new job at a start-up company. He then began a 28-year career as a mechanic with American Airlines.
Shortly after moving to Oklahoma, the Fuller family joined First Christian Church in Owasso. They had previously been members of Niotaze Christian Church. Paul, Dorothea, his sister Alice, and mother Grace, were all baptized in 1948 during a revival at Tyro Christian Church in Tyro, Kansas. At the time of his death, Paul was the longest living member of First Christian Church in Owasso. He was also a 50-year member of the Owasso Masonic Lodge.
Paul kept two Jersey cows to provide milk for his large family as well as raising his own beef. He and Dorothea grew a large garden and not only fed their family, but others as well. He continued to have a garden to the end with help from his family.
The younger Fuller children were active in FFA. Paul always told his children that FFA stood for Father Farms Alone, as they were busy at speech contests or other school activities and he was home feeding their projects such as show cows, beef calves, and broiler chickens.
Paul and Dorothea were honored to be Lifetime FFA Alumni members of the Collinsville FFA, Honorary Chapter Farmers of Collinsville FFA, and Farm Family of the Year by the Collinsville Fair. After the passing of Dorothea in 1995, Paul married Alta Finney, and they were married 16 years before her passing in 2013.
In his latter years, Paul developed a method of cracking walnuts. He knew where all the best walnut trees were in and around Collinsville and Oologah Lake. He spent his last winters cracking and picking out walnuts and pecans, then sharing them with everyone. If you visited Paul you would leave with a gift of something to eat, usually corn or walnuts.
Paul was an elder, deacon, and church board member. He enjoyed his visits from friends Ben Killion and Don Kerr, and of course his grandchildren and great grandchildren. He and Dorothea were some of the first people involved with Youth Quake cook team going to Colorado. He was a strong man of faith, a servant to his church and family, and is on vacation in heaven. He saw to it that his family was at church Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday evening, and all his children carry on that mission today.
Those he leaves behind who hold many cherished memories include:
His Children; Susan Fritts and husband George, of Owasso, Oklahoma
Mary Moreland and husband David, of Collinsville, Oklahoma
Rosella Moreland and husband Dan, of Tyro, Kansas
Charles Fuller and wife Joyce, of Fresno, California
David Fuller and wife Michelle, of Berniece, Oklahoma
Emily Ott and husband James, of Berniece, Oklahoma
Leland Fuller and wife Jennifer, of Joplin, Missouri
24 grandchildren
50 great grandchildren
13 nieces and nephews
He was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Evert Ray Fuller, sisters, Edna Mae Fuller, Alice Kelley, and Pearl Willson, first wife, Dorothea, and second wife, Alta Fuller.
His Children; Susan Fritts and husband George, of Owasso, Oklahoma
Mary Moreland and husband David, of Collinsville, Oklahoma
Rosella Moreland and husband Dan, of Tyro, Kansas
Charles Fuller and wife Joyce, of Fresno, California
David Fuller and wife Michelle, of Berniece, Oklahoma
Emily Ott and husband James, of Berniece, Oklahoma
Leland Fuller and wife Jennifer, of Joplin, Missouri
24 grandchildren
50 great grandchildren
13 nieces and nephews
He was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Evert Ray Fuller, sisters, Edna Mae Fuller, Alice Kelley, and Pearl Willson, first wife, Dorothea, and second wife, Alta Fuller.
Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, June 16, 2022, at Mowery Funeral Service in Owasso. Funeral service will be held 10:00 a.m. Friday, June 17, 2022, at First Church, Owasso, with Pastor David Schepper and David Fuller speaking. Serving as casket bearers will be Tyler Cook, Nic Moreland, Brant Moreland, Blake Moreland, Brandon Fuller, Atron Fuller, Joe Fuller, and Jordan Fuller. Committal service and interment will follow at Graceland Memorial Park Cemetery in Owasso. The family requests memorial contributions be made in Paul’s memory to First Church Missions, 10100 North Garnett Road, Owasso, Oklahoma, 74055, or Collinsville FFA, c/o Jennifer Hamlin, 2400 West Broadway, Collinsville, Oklahoma, 74021. Arrangements and services were entrusted to Mowery Funeral Service of Owasso.
