Grant Eugene Fuller, 75, of Madrid, passed away peacefully in his sleep on December 23, 2023, at his home.
Grant was born on February 6, 1948, in Sutherland, Nebraska, to Oress S. and Betty Jean (Cunningham) Fuller. He grew up in Wallace, Nebraska. At a very young age, he began working and learning the carpentry trade with his dad and farming with his grandfather. He graduated from Wallace High School in 1966 and went on to Kearney State College.
In the spring of 1969, one of his roommates helped arrange a blind date in Lincoln with a student nurse, Karen Eileen Spracklen. It soon became apparent that Karen was the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Grant decided to get his military service out of the way and signed up for the draft just before the draft lottery came out. He was inducted into the US Army on September 22, 1969, and was sent to Vietnam on April 13, 1970. Grant was discharged from the Army on April 26, 1971, with the rank of E5.
On May 16, 1971, he married Karen Spracklen in Valentine. The couple made their home on his grandparents' farm north of Elsie. He returned to college in the fall, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in December 1972. Their union was blessed with four beautiful daughters, and he was outnumbered from that point on. In the summer of 1988, they purchased a home in Madrid, where he lived the rest of his life and continued farming - raising wheat, corn, and cattle.
Grant was very involved in the lives of his children and grandchildren. He attended all of their sporting, speech, and music events that he could. He was very generous and would have given any of his family and friends the shirt off his back if they needed it. He never met a stranger, and his laugh and personality were known for miles around.
Grant loved to hunt and fish whenever the chance presented itself. He was also a big fan of the Beatles, with some of his very favorite songs being "Yellow Submarine", and more recently, after watching grandsons' baseball games, "Centerfield" by John Fogerty.
Grant was a longtime member of the United Methodist Church. He was also a longtime member of the Elks Club and American Legion and a lifetime member of the VFW. He was a proud patriot and loved his country deeply.
Grant was preceded in death by his grandparents, Oress and Stella (Strawder) Fuller, Charlie and Ellen (Pelton) Cunningham; his parents; brothers and sisters-in-law, Roberto Salinas, Lowell and Evelyn Spracklen, Marvin and Ardis Spracklen, LuVerne Forsch, and Roger Studeny.
Grant is survived by his wife of 52 years, Karen of Madrid; his daughters, Michelle and Steve Snyder of Grant, Becky and DJ Dannar of Elsie, Tonia Fuller and Ross Moody of Madrid, Kendra and Garrett Dyck of Parkville, Missouri; nine grandchildren, Hailey & Erik Snyder; Alex Schmailzl, Jasmine Shelden, & Jorja Dannar; Paige, Colt, and Joe Franklin; and Amelia Dyck; one great-granddaughter, Nirvana Shelden; one sister, Carolyn Salinas of Arvada, Colorado; one nephew, Michael Wright of Arvada, Colorado; sisters and brothers-in-law, Elsie Forsch, Doris Studeny, Luree & Jim Smith, Verle & Mary Spracklen; along with numerous cousins and countless friends.
A memorial has been established in his memory, with the intent to support local veteran causes. Condolences may be shared at bullocklongfuneralhome.com, where the services will be streamed live.
Services will be held on January 3, 2024, at 10 AM at the Elsie Methodist Church with Pastor Bill Williams officiating. Interment with Military Honors will be in the Madrid Cemetery.
Visitation will be on January 2, 2024, from 3 PM until 6 PM at the Bullock-Long Funeral Home in Grant.
Bullock-Long Funeral Home of Grant is in charge of arrangements.