Janet Rose Fullmer, 76, passed away on July 4, 2019 with her devoted sweetheart, Verlan, by her side.
Janet was born in Brigham City, Utah in 1943. She was the fourth of six children, growing up on a dairy farm in Tremonton where values of hard work, faith and exploration fueled her life. She was an educator, traveler, artist, cook, backseat driver, and unapologetic crier.
Janet attended Weber State on scholarship then graduated from Utah State in Art Education. She worked summers at the Old Faithful commissary in Yellowstone National Park, nights serving at a bar in Logan, and as a research assistant for faculty.
Janet met Verlan Fullmer while she was his student-teacher at Bear River Jr. High. What might be a scandal today turned out to be a romance and an island-hopping adventure. Janet and Verlan married on a Friday, the 13th of August 1965. The two artistic souls honeymooned in Montana ghost towns and camped through Yellowstone. They enjoyed gathering native plants, making natural paints and dyes to use in their art.
Janet and Verlan moved to the Tongan Islands where she was principal of the Liahona Elementary School and taught PE at the high school. She illustrated the closed-circuit television program broadcast to all of the elementary schools. Janet and Verlan organized the first art exhibit in Tonga which was opened by the king and queen in a white-glove ceremony.
Janet and Verlan then lived on Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands for 15 years. She taught art and sixth grade and was the school librarian. She also taught art techniques to elementary school teachers at the University of Micronesia. She retired from teaching after 19 years with the Granite School District What might be a scandal today turned out to be a romance and an island-hopping adventure.
in Utah.
Janet’s many talents included drawing, pastels, weaving, pottery and soft sculpture. She enjoyed cooking, photography, genealogy, listening to music, and playing the piano and viola.
She was active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints – serving in many roles along with a two- and half-year mission at the Family History Library at BYU.
Janet will be dearly missed by her family: husband Verlan, sons Justin (Shannon) and Nathan, and daughter Arikka (Matthew). She has six grandchildren and two great grandchildren. She is also survived by sister Diane, and brothers Steven (Loyann) and Theron (Ronda). Janet is preceded in death by her parents H. Smith and Jeanetta Rose, sister Linda, and brother Norman.
Viewings will be held Friday, July 12, 6 – 8 p.m. and Saturday, July 13, 9:30 – 10:30 a.m., and a service on Saturday July 13 at 11 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Deer Creek chapel at 1102 South Center Street, Midway, Utah.
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Bachelor'sUtah State University
Barbara Marie Reeves Christiansen
I’m so sorry for your family’s loss. She had no way of knowing, but Mrs. Fullmer had such a lasting impact on my life. I’ve forgotten many details from my childhood, but I vividly remember so many of the lessons and art projects she taught us. Whenever I see a Norman Rockwell painting, I think about how Mrs. Fullmer taught us to really look at the details and to see the story inside the picture. Today I’m engaged to an artist and absolutely love going to museums and soaking in the art. I actually teach many of the projects Mrs. Fullmer taught me to my own 5th and 6th grade students. My mom still proudly displays the soft sculpture I made in sixth grade on her bookshelf. Thank you for all the lasting lessons, Mrs. Fullmer. ❤️
Mr. Fullmer, I'm so sorry for your loss. I was a student of yours on Kwajalein and I live in Sandy, Utah now. Please tell me if there is anything I can do to support your family since I live nearby.
I remember both your mother and father with fondness from our time on Kwaj. My mother and your father are actually distance cousins on the Fullmer side. I am sorry for your loss. I would have shared this news with my parents, Leslie and LaDee Carpenter as they would have had memories of them from the Kwaj branch but they too have both passed on.
I am so very lucky to have so many amazing memories of sharing holiday celebrations and family dinners on Kwajalein with Janet (always "Mrs. Fullmer" to me of course) and her amazing family. On Kwajalein she was a beloved friend and treasured teaching colleague to my Mom. The friendship between Mrs. Fullmer and my Mom, as well as between our families, continued long after all of us left the island--something for which I will always be so grateful. I send my love, prayers and healing wishes to the Fullmer family and everyone who was fortunate enough to have Mrs. Fullmer in their lives.