Rodger Leon Fulton

He was preceded in death by his parents, Glen and Doris; his siblings, Linda Eisenmann and Chris Fulton; and his granddaughter, Elesha Debenport.

He is survived by his devoted wife, Sally of 59 years; his children, Julie Kiel (John), Scott Fulton (Kim), and Karen Debenport (Tony); and his grandchildren, Dwight Debenport, Troy Fulton (Kayden), Hannah Debenort, Trevor Fulton, Ruby Kiel, Noah Vance, Daniella Debenport, Ellie Fulton, Estee Kiel, and Peyton Vance as well as his great granddaughter, Sophia Holland. He is also survived by his sisters, Pat Winkler, Carolyn Harvey, and Marcia Klodzen (Kevin), and sister-in-law, Pam Fulton, along with many extended family members and dear friends.

Rodger grew up on a farm in Huntington, Indiana, where he developed a strong work ethic and a lifelong ability to solve problems with creativity and determination. He often said his father was the best engineer he knew, despite having no formal education beyond high school, because of the ingenuity required to keep a farm running. At just 15 years old, he began paying for his own flight lessons, learning to fly in a Cessna.

He went on to attend Purdue University, becoming the first in his family to pursue higher education, and earned a degree in Electrical Engineering. Rodger later volunteered to serve his country in the United States Air Force, where he became a pilot and rose to the rank of captain. After his military service, he flew for Saudia Airlines and later Braniff Airways, which brought him to Fort Worth. He then began a 33-year career with General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin.

He loved spending time with his family, especially outdoors—hiking, waterskiing, playing kickball, or simply taking a drive with the windows down. Rodger was a dedicated do-it-yourselfer who found joy in hard work and learning new skills, whether upholstering furniture, converting a garage into a bed & bath en suite for his girls, or reroofing a house.

As his children grew and had families of their own, he faithfully showed up for his grandchildren’s games, concerts, and activities. Rodger and Sally also created lasting memories by taking each grandchild on a special trip to Disney World.

In retirement, he enjoyed traveling to new places and continuing to invest in time with his family. Throughout his life, he set an example of prioritizing his faith, cherishing family, and offering encouragement and support to those around him.

The most defining aspect of his life was his relationship with the living God. He came to faith in Christ in 1971 through the ministry of a Cru, and from that time forward, his life was marked by a deep desire to honor God. His hope for those he loved was that they would know the mercy of God, the saving work of Jesus Christ, and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.

He was a faithful member of Bear Creek Bible Church and was actively involved in prison ministry and Let’s Start Talking. Even as he endured Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, the Scriptures he had treasured and the hymns he had long sung remained with him. He held fast to the assurance that though he might forget much, God, in His great mercy and love, would never forget him.

He was dearly loved by his family and many friends and will be deeply missed.

A funeral service will be held at Bear Creek Bible Church, 1555 N Tarrant Pkwy, Keller, TX 76248, on Friday, May 8th at 10:30 am.

A committal service will be held at DFW National Cemetery, 2000 Mountain Creek Parkway, Dallas, TX 75211, on Wednesday, May 13th at 9:30 am.