Virgil Eugene (Gene) Fuller

Virgil Eugene “Gene” Fuller, 94, of Helen, Georgia, passed away on December 12, 2017 at home in Helen, Georgia.

A service honoring his life will be held on January 13, 2018 at 1:00 pm at The Episcopal Church of the Resurrection 1755 Duncan Bridge Road Sautee, Georgia.

Gene was born in Gainesville, Georgia to Ferrol Thompson Fuller and Hubert Fuller on October 14, 1923.  He finished Monroe High School, North Carolina through a program at Wingate University so that he could enter the military after the outset of World War II.  After the war, he graduated from the University of Georgia and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics and a Master’s Degree in Genetics.  During his military service, he married his sweetheart Katherine “Kitty” Fairley Fuller on June 20^th, 1945 in Monroe, North Carolina. Always interested in flight from a young age, Gene joined the United States Navy to serve during World War II.  He became a Naval Aviator and served in the Pacific on an aircraft carrier.  His airpower efforts at Iwo Jima during bombing runs of Mount Suribachi helped make the indelible image of the flag raising possible.  A first-rate fighter pilot, Gene was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his skill, courage, and bravery at Iwo Jima and Okinawa by then Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal.  After the victory over Japan, Gene left active duty and served in the Naval Reserve during the Korean War.  He left the service as a Lieutenant in 1955.  After the war, Gene worked in the poultry and real estate industries in Gainesville, Georgia. 

Gene is preceded in death by his first wife Kitty, who passed away in 1982, as well as his parents Hubert and Ferrol, and his siblings. 

Gene is survived by his and Kitty’s sons, Robert “Skipper” McLean Fuller, his wife Ann DeLong Fuller, and Lawrence Eugene Fuller.  Gene is also survived by his second wife Patricia Bell Bartlett Fuller to whom was married in 1990.  Gene was a beloved grandfather and great-grandfather.  He will be sorely missed by his grandchildren Whitney Fuller Wideman, her husband Thomas Rutledge Wideman, and Clayton McLean Fuller, and his wife Kate Patricia Joy Fuller.  He is also survived by his second wife Patricia’s children: Ann Talbott and her husband David; Lynn Walker and her husband Jeff; Jimmy Bartlett and his wife Karen, and by her grandchildren: Shannon Alberts and husband Mike; Cody Walker; Jeremiah Bartlett and Joshua Bartlett; and by her great-grandson, Owen Alberts, all of whom also enjoyed having had deeply loving relationships with Gene.   

The service will be for family only. The family asks in lieu of flowers that a donation be made to the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida.  The family wishes to extend our sincere thanks to the medical staff of Northeast Georgia Medical Center, as well as the attention and care provided by Jody Tomas.

To share a memory of Mr. Fuller or to send a condolence please visit www.barrettfh.com

Barrett Funeral Home of Cleveland in charge of arrangements.