Deena Sue Fuller

Fuller, Dr. Deena Sue, 67, born Aug. 22, 1946, in Bristol, VA, died Friday, Dec. 13, 2013, at her home in Nashville after a 7-year battle with breast cancer. She was predeceased by her parents, Evelyn Byrd Fuller and Dewey Wayne Fuller.

She is survived by her husband of 27 years, Dr. Tilden Curry; her children: Daniel Curry, Atlanta; Evyn Olshefski (Jordan), Charlotte, NC; Clay Curry (Emily), Atlanta; and Dayna Masterson (Mark), Rabat, Morocco; her grandchildren: Walker, Eleanor, and Knox Olshefski, as well as Kenza, Sofiya, and Lukas Masterson; her siblings: Charles Fuller, Wheeling, WV; and Dewey Fuller (Vicki), Bristol, TN.

A model for and advocate of compassion and peace for all living things, Dr. Fuller’s “loving kindness” symbolized every aspect of her daily, personal, and professional life. She had a spirit of giving and worked tirelessly to serve those less fortunate: taking in homeless people, animals, and helping inner-city children.

Dr. Fuller began an academic career in 1973 as an assistant professor of educational psychology at the former University of Tenn.-Nashville. She was a professor of psychology and director of the Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement at Tenn. State University (TSU) before taking leave in 2012. She played a major role in TSU receiving a prestigious Carnegie classification for community engagement.

She led accreditation teams to universities across the country to review schools of education, and served as a board member of the Green Hills YMCA. She was a member of and served as a teacher and deacon at First Presbyterian Church, and led 14 youth mission trips to communities in need across the world. Her most recent community service was modeling as a courageous cancer survivor with her granddaughter Eleanor at the After Breast Cancer Fashion Show in October.

She treasured her Sunday School class, Spiritual Journeys for Women, and indeed her own spiritual journey was the pillar of her life. She participated regularly in a “Moms Club”, exercise classes at the YMCA, dancing, hiking with her dogs, and horseback riding. She was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother and used her passion for photography to chronicle their lives. A child at heart, she loved nothing more than playing with her grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 11 AM, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2013 in the sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church, 4815 Franklin Pike, Nashville. Visitation with the family will be held 4-6 PM, Tuesday, Dec. 17, and 9:30-11 AM, Wednesday, Dec. 18 at Cheek House, First Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First Presbyterian Church local missions, including Preston Taylor Ministries, and to Compassion International.