Debbie Fulmer

Deborah Kay Apple Fulmer “Debbie”, wife, mother, grandmother, friend, sister, nurse, and teacher lost her courageous 2.5 year battle with ovarian cancer, but claimed the eternal victory with Jesus Christ on January 18, 2016 when she died at home surrounded by her family. Debbie’s life was defined by her family and her lifelong friends, to whom she blessed with her humor, her wisdom, and her smile. Debbie was never seen without a smile and she was always ready to lend a helping hand and a kind word without expecting anything in return; two wonderful behaviors she was instilling in her granddaughter Adelen until the day she died. Of all the positions that Debbie held during her life, the one she most cherished was being Adelen’s grandmother.

Debbie entered this life on April 2, 1954 in Little Rock, Arkansas. She was the beloved daughter of and preceded in death by Clifton C. and Audria Mae “Creech” Apple. Debbie studied ballet and tap dance while growing up and was a cheerleader for Batesville/Southside High School, where she received her high school diploma and most importantly to Debbie, she became best and lifelong friends with Carol Davis. Debbie graduated from the University of Central AR with a BS (’76) and a MSN (’95). She received her certification in wound, ostomy, and continence nursing (WOCN) from Emory University in 1987. Again, in typical Debbie style, the hi-lite of her time at Emory University was the friendship she made with Janis Bishop.

While an undergraduate at UCA, Debbie was a member of Sigma Sigma Sigma national sorority, president of the Panhellenic, and a Theta Xi fraternity Sweetheart. It was also during her undergraduate years at UCA that she met the love of her life, Ray Fulmer. Ray and Debbie married on November 20, 1976 and honeymooned and lived in Germany, where Ray was stationed on active duty with the US Army. Debbie and Ray returned to the United States in 1979 after he completed his tour of duty. Shortly after their return, Debbie gave birth to a son in 1980 and thirteen years later, she had twin girls. Debbie called Fort Smith home for over twenty years. She was a sustaining member of the Fort Smith Junior League, a faithful member of the Bible Study Fellowship, a member of the Bunko Babes, a charter member of the NWA Tri Sigma Alumnae chapter, and a member of Fort Smith First United Methodist Church, where she took Adelen almost every Sunday.

Debbie was an outstanding nurse and the epitome of compassion. During her nursing career, she worked as a staff RN, a diabetic educator, a WOCN, and an assistant professor of nursing. She worked as a nurse in Germany, Mississippi, and Arkansas. She was an active member of the Arkansas Nurses Association, the American Nurses Association, and the WOCN Society. She was also a member of Sigma Theta Tau, Inc., nursing honor society and the UAFS nursing honor society. Debbie used her outstanding nursing skills, knowledge, and her ability to teach to help inspire countless future nurses and prepare them for the licensure exam and nursing practice. She began her career as a nurse educator at Westark Community College. While at Westark/UAFS Debbie was Teacher of the Year, a member of the Faculty Senate, and the nursing student association sponsor. Debbie retired from UAFS last year as a tenured faculty with over twenty years of service to the institution. Yet even after retirement, former students continued to consult with her and stay in touch.

Debbie is survived by her husband Ray; her son, Ray Fulmer III (Kenya); her daughter, Libby (the home); her daughter and son-in-law, Katie and Jose Cervantes; granddaughter, Adelen (the home); a brother and sister-in-law, Stanton C. and Jan Apple (Russellville, Arkansas); sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Sharon and Dewayne Davis (Edwards, Colorado); brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Tim and Amy Fulmer (Bentonville, Arkansas); devoted friends, Carol Davis (Batesville, Arkansas) and Janis Bishop; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and all her loyal friends, who were all with her until the end in thought, word, and deed.

The visitation will be from 4:00pm to 6:00pm on Thursday January 21, 2016 in the Narthex of Fort Smith First United Methodist Church. The funeral service and celebration of Debbie’s life is at 6:00 pm, in the sanctuary of the church. A private burial will be in Batesville, Arkansas on Friday January 22, 2016. The burial is under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home. The family requests in lieu of flowers, please donate to the River Valley Ovarian Cancer Alliance, P.O. Box 11133, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72917. “Debbie would want her death, like her life, to help others. To sign an online guestbook, visit www.edwardsfuneralhome.com.