Evelyn Fullerton (Bolivar)'s Obituary
Evelyn Fay Callaway Fullerton was born on December 20, 1940, the youngest of three children born to Kenneth Charles and LaVeda Fay (Donaldson) Callaway. She passed away on Tuesday, January 10, 2023, at the age of 82 years.
Evelyn grew up on a dairy farm in Polk County. Although she did not relish those early mornings milking cows, her upbringing established a lifelong advocacy of agriculture. She graduated from Bolivar High School in 1958, where she participated in Royal Rooters, FHA, glee club, class plays, and band, where she was a baton twirler. After high school, she attended Burge School of Nursing and Drury University in Springfield, graduating in 1962 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree – a distinction in which she took particular pride.
Evelyn began her career as a registered nurse by working as a staff nurse at Burge Hospital (now Cox Medical Center) from 1961-62, teaching pediatric nursing at Burge School of Nursing from 1962-67, and serving as a campus nurse at Southwest Baptist College from 1970-72.
But Evelyn found her true calling when she began working as a school nurse for Bolivar R-1 Schools in 1972, ultimately spending 33 years working to keep the children of Polk County immunized and healthy.
From her office near the front door of Leonard Elementary School (now Bolivar Primary School), Evelyn wiped away tears, bandaged skinned knees, checked for fevers, tested hearing and vision, tracked immunization records, and laid the foundation for health and wellness practices that have had a positive effect on countless lives. She regularly sent sick children home, and she sometimes dealt with difficult cases such as child abuse and neglect. But she always found her job enjoyable and fulfilling.
“Lots of time they just need the extra attention,” Evelyn once explained in an interview with the Bolivar Herald-Free Press. “Since there’s no discipline involved, they like to come see me. Often, they just stop in and visit and go on.”
During her career with the Bolivar schools, Evelyn took the initiative to write grants and research creative ways to fund programs, equipment and staff. By the time she left, those efforts helped expand the staff from her single position to four nurses and a social worker.
“If we can impact them now, it can make a difference,” Evelyn told the Bolivar Herald-Free Press in another interview when she retired in 2005. “You can mold the little ones. We do a lot more education in the classroom. We have expanded to dental screenings and watching their body mass index. It has changed so much since I started. Now we can really make a change in their lives.”
When she retired, the Missouri Senate and the Missouri House of Representatives each issued a proclamation lauding her for more than three decades of public service. “Evelyn Fullerton has played an integral role in the health and well being of several Missouri youngsters as a District Nurse at Bolivar Primary School,” read the Senate proclamation.
In addition to her nursing work, in the 1990s Evelyn operated the Pig Pen for several years, a craft shop she established in an old poultry barn that sat at the corner of Morrisville Road and Missouri 13. She sold crafts, quilts, furniture, and other items, providing both a source of extra income and an outlet for her creativity.
After her retirement, Evelyn continued working to improve health care, this time by presenting wellness programs for school staff members in her role as a consultant for the Marketing Bunch. She also traveled with her sister, Rosemary Sutton, and her cousin, Dorothy Isdell. In addition, she remained connected to the community through regular gatherings of friends from her years working as a nurse and for the public school system.
In 2011, the State Board of Nursing recognized Evelyn for maintaining her nursing license for 50 years. She received her license in 1961 and maintained it through 2013.
Throughout the years, Evelyn also was an active member of the community. She was involved in numerous organizations, including Bolivar Twenty Club, Bridge Club, and the Bolivar Christian Church, where she was a member for most of her life.
In 1961, Evelyn married Donald Dean Fullerton, who preceded her in death. Although that marriage ended in divorce, they remained devoted parents to their five children, the youngest being twins, whom they raised on a farm in Polk County.
While working full time, Evelyn ensured all her children had the opportunity to participate in any activity they wanted to do – including showing livestock throughout the Midwest; taking part in 4-H Club, FFA, and Girl Scouts; joining numerous school clubs; and playing many high school and traveling club sports.
For many years, the family also took annual summer vacations, traveling throughout the western U.S. and Canada in a station wagon with a pop-up camper for the family of seven. Every night, Evelyn cooked meals – almost always including potatoes fried in a cast iron skillet over the campfire.
Evelyn was a doting grandmother to her 14 grandchildren – including three sets of twins – and two great-grandchildren. She spent much of her time with them, watching ball games and school programs in the early years which evolved into attending high school and college graduations, plus a wedding, in the later years. She visited them in three states and one foreign country – often traveling with her much loved rescued pets.
Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Charles Callaway; and her sister, Rosemary Sutton. She is survived by her five children, 14 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren: Jane Lemons and husband, Terry, of Bristow, Virginia, their children Ben Lemons and Sarah Larios (Jonathan), and granddaughter Sofia Larios; Leslie Hutter and husband, Jim, of Springfield, their children twins Tate and Hayes and twins Gibbs and Tess; Betsy Eckols of St. Louis, and children Blace, Trey, and Alex (Justin Garza), and granddaughter Ashlar Garza; Jeff Fullerton and wife, Tommi, of Bolivar, and their children Logan, twins Raif and Reed, and Rhett; Jenny Ernst and husband, Jim, of Bedford, Iowa, and their daughter Carly.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, January 19, from 5-7 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Friday, January 20, at 10:30 a.m. at Butler Funeral Home in Bolivar. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery under the direction of the Butler Funeral Home.
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