FULKERSON, Joe

Was born to Samuel Grant Fulkerson and Lyle Santy on
February 26, 1918, in Clearfield, PA. His family is
descended from the earliest American settlers and he
was a direct descendant of American Revolutionary War
soldier John Fulkerson, who served with the New Jersey
Militia. Joe left school early to help his family
during the Great Depression, earning his high school
degree later in life. During those years he learned
carpentry from his father, built his own home and
remodeled many others. Joe entered the Army in 1941
during World War II and participated in the Allied
invasion of Europe at Normandy when his LST landing
craft was torpedoed by a German patrol boat. He was
one of a few soldiers to be rescued by the English
destroyer HMS Beagle and taken back to England. He
later rejoined his unit and was involved in most of
the major World War II European campaigns, including
Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Central Europe,
and the Aedennes-Alsace campaign - better known as the
Battle of the Bulge. Following the war, Joe was
honorably discharged and returned to Warren, Ohio and
worked for Packard Sunlight Motors and area steel
mills. He was a hard working blue collar man who was
actively involved in the local unions. He moved his
family to California to take a job in the late 1960s
and held a number of maintenance and custodial jobs at
a manufacturing plant, housing complex and a school
district in southern Idaho before retiring. He had
lived in Idaho since 1970. Joe was a good mechanic and
very creative with his hands. His hobbies included
wood working, painting, drawing and writing poetry.
The last of six siblings, his brother Bob and sisters
Evelyn, Lorraine, Mickey and Jean preceded him in
death. He is survived by his daughter Carol Figler of
Cypress, CA; his son Ron Fulkerson of Post Falls, ID;
seven grandchildren - Eric Figler of Spokane, WA,
Christy Bradley of Chino, CA, Eric Fulkerson of
Swansea, IL, and Chris Fulkerson, Sara Crawford and
Katie Moland all of Spokane, WA, plus ten
great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions can be
made to the WW II Memorial: P.O. Box 96766,
Washington, D.C. 20090. Private family services are
being held. Joe's final resting place will be at
Tahoma National Cemetery, in Kent, Washington. YATES
FUNERAL HOME, COEUR D'ALENE CHAPEL is in charge of the
arrangements.
Please visit Joe's memorial and sign his online
guestbook at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.


Aug 2, 2007
Spokesman-Review

 

 

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