Martha Fullerton

With an infectious smile, strong will, and unwavering kindness, Martha Louise (Werme) Fullerton lived a life devoted to family. Martha led with her heart, focusing on strength in family, honesty, and open-mindedness. No matter where she was, she welcomed each day as a gift and never hesitated to give her time and talents to those in need. She was hardworking, well respected, and an inspiration to all who were blessed to know her. A loving wife, mother, and grandmother, Martha will long be remembered and so very missed.

Chester Adolf and Mary "Louise" (Lyford) Werme welcomed their daughter Martha Louise to their family on May 24, 1940, in Worchester, Massachusetts. At the age of seven, Martha and her family moved to Keene, New Hampshire. An active child, Martha broke her arm three times before she was five. She long remembered when her father's sailboat was floating away from the dock, and she locked the screen door. When her father frantically ran back to the house to get help, her dad ripped the door right off. Martha fondly remembered making maple syrup with the New Hampshire neighbors and pouring it in the snow to make maple candy. A tradition she later delighted in sharing with her children when they lived in South Dakota.

After Martha's 11th-grade school year, the family moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan. Martha's father worked as a mechanical engineer, and her mother was a homemaker who also kept the books for their company, Quality Fasteners, in Kalamazoo. Martha completed her senior year and proudly graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School with the class of 1958.

Having inherited her parents' strong will, integrity, and work ethics, Martha pursued higher education at Michigan State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Home Economics Education. There, she became the president of Alpha Phi sorority and graduated with her degree in 1962. With her degree in hand, Martha worked in the Trust Department at a bank in Kalamazoo. In time, she returned to school and earned a master's degree in Home Economics at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo.

Martha taught Home Economics for three years at Portage Central Junior High School, in Portage, Michigan before moving to Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 1968. On September 9 of that same year, Martha met her future husband, Samuel Gregg Fullerton, on a successful blind date. The couple instantly connected, and Martha taught Sam how to ski, among other things. Though he was not supposed to be farther than 20 minutes from the Ft. Carson base where he was stationed, Sam joined her at a local ski area. Unfortunately, he skied into a pile of hoses on his first run and sprained his ankle. To hide the injury, he wore his combat boots laced up really tight to cover it up for a week. On June 22, 1969, Martha and Sam exchanged vows in her parent’s living room in Kalamazoo. Martha met Sam's parents for the first time during their rehearsal dinner.

Martha taught for three more years in Pennsylvania while Sam completed his college studies. In 1972, Sam and Martha moved to Chestertown, Maryland, where Martha became a mother to Julia Louise (Fullerton) Gauthier and Samuel “Gregg” Fullerton III dedicating herself to homemaking and creating a loving, supportive home for their family. For many years, Martha sewed her own clothes because stores that catered to her tall frame—long arms, long legs, and a height of 5'10"—were not yet commonplace. She also made incredible quilts and perfected her skill at caning furniture.

In 1977, the family moved to Huron, South Dakota, where Martha was very active in the community, volunteering countless hours at her church, summer church school, and Huron Hockey, and as treasurer for Boy Scouts of America Troup 6. In 1987, she began working as a personnel officer for F&M Bank. She also served as the treasurer of the Huron Hockey Association secretary, was on the Huron Hospital Advisory Board, and was a lifelong member of P.E.O.

A stained-glass artist, Martha created a home-based glass studio, Kaleidoscope Stained Glass, offering classes in stained glass making, and she also lovingly hosted two exchange students from Sweden before moving to Fargo, North Dakota, in 1997. A year later, she and Sam moved to Parndorf, Austria, where she was an American Women's Association member. Once she returned to the States, Martha lived in Granger, Iowa, where she worked as a clerk for an Iowa House Representative and clerked for an Iowa State Senator. She was also a Warren County Corvette Club member during this time. In 2022, Martha and Sam moved to Rapid City, South Dakota.

Over the years, Martha enjoyed traveling to visit family during the holidays. When not traveling, they would celebrate the holidays with neighbors and friends. Several Christmas-time ski trips in the Black Hills were special, as were trips with her grandchildren, Gabrielle Gauthier, Morgan Fullerton, and Ethan Fullerton, to Boston, Washington DC, Niagara Falls, and as an entire family twice to Key West.

In addition to her famous homemade apple pie recipe, Martha leaves a legacy of love and generosity, unfailing honesty and hard work, and steadfast companionship that will be proudly carried forward by those she so dearly loved.

Martha Werme Fullerton of Rapid City, SD, age 84, died on December 7, 2024, after a 10-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Please join us for a Life Story Celebration on Saturday, January 25, from 11 AM - 1 PM at Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo (269) 375-2900, where food, drinks, and stories will be shared.

Celebrate Martha's life online by sharing your favorite stories and photos on her dedicated webpage at BetzlerLifeStory.com. Memorial contributions may be made to Martha's lifelong interest in support of the P.E.O. women's college, Cottey College, or a charity of your choice.

Martha's family would like to thank Morningstar Assisted Living in Rapid City for the 20 months of specialized care and compassion shown to Martha.