On August 9, 2014, we lost a good friend and our first Gander. When the Mid-Missouri Puddle was created in 2013, Larry was the first Ganders to be initiated into the Order. His energy and commitment to the the betterment of insurance industry had no bounds, and he personally recruited dozens of new Ganders to our new organization. Without his efforts, our Puddle certainly not become a Pond in 2014, and most likely would have failed entirely.
As a thank you to Larry for his work and his commitment to the birth of our Pond and his work in the insurance industry for over 40 years, we name this tournament in his honor, and we will share the proceeds from this event with the Larry Fuller Memorial Scholarship in the Personal Financial Planning Department of the the University of Missouri School of Environmental Sciences.
Larry Fuller, 1949-2014
Lawrence “Larry” Joseph Fuller, 64, of Columbia died unexpectedly on Saturday, Aug. 9, 2014, in Paris, France, from a heart attack.
Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 22, at Memorial Funeral Home in Columbia. The rosary will be said at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Columbia at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, followed by a Mass at 10 a.m. A private burial will be held at a later date in Kansas City.
Larry is survived by his wife, Christine; son Bryan (Jennifer) of Kansas City; granddaughters Jordan and Kathryn; brother Daniel (Judy) of St. Paul, Minn.; and mother-in-law Theresa Sparks of Overland Park, Kan.
Preceding Larry in death were his mother, Rosemary; father Daniel; and infant grandson Alexander Jude Fuller.
Larry was born on Oct. 4, 1949, to Daniel Rolfe Fuller and Rosemary Irene Cormier Fuller in Minneapolis, Minn. He moved to Independence in 1954 and graduated from De La Salle High School in Kansas City in 1967, where he was active in the National Honors Society, journalism and was president of the Pep Squad.
He received a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Missouri in 1971. He was a member of the Delta Upsilon Fraternity and formed lifelong friendships with his many “brothers.” He also attained numerous industry designations relating to life insurance and financial planning.
He married Christine Yvonne Sparks on Feb. 7, 1970, at the Newman Center in Columbia. Aside from six years that they enjoyed in Lincoln, Neb., in the 1970s, Larry and Christine called the Show-Me State home, living in Kansas City and Columbia.
His formal work career spanned 40-plus years with Shelter Insurance Cos., where he worked in various sales and management roles mostly related to marketing of life insurance products. He trained and assisted thousands of new insurance agents as he believed in the societal good that insurance provides. He truly found a second home among his many colleagues at Shelter.
Larry was a continuously aspiring golfer, fisherman and avid sports fanatic for the MU Tigers, Royals, Chiefs and, later on, St. Louis Cardinals. His sharp wit and sense of humor could always be counted on, and his natural curiosity and adventurous soul were inspiring. Larry and Christine traveled extensively across the United States and internationally. He also especially enjoyed his “every five-year” trip to Munich, Germany, for the Oktoberfest.
In 2008, Larry was the honored recipient of the Tiger Pride Award, an annual award that recognizes sustained, outstanding volunteer efforts on behalf of the Mizzou Alumni Association. Larry served on numerous local and national boards relating to the University of Missouri. He also served as the president of the Mid-Missouri Estate Planning Council and the Mid-Missouri National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.
Larry was quite the sailor, although not in the traditional sense; he was a proud member of the Perche Creek Yacht Club based in Midway. In 2009, Larry received the distinguished honor of becoming the ExtraOrdinary Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Yacht Club.
He never met a stranger. His joy in living life to the fullest will be long remembered.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to the University of Missouri specifying the Larry Fuller Memorial Scholarship Fund – Personal Financial Planning Department of the University of Missouri School of Human Environmental Sciences.
Posted in Obituaries on Tursday, August 21, 2014 11:30 am.
Photo Credit to Wally Pfeffer
