Lois Fulghum

Born in January 1940 as the youngest of four children to China Inland Mission workers, Lois Fulghum's life was marked by extraordinary faith and extraordinary movement. Her early years were spent between China and the US in an upbringing that fostered a deep faith, resolve and self-reliance. In 1942, amid the Japanese occupation, when she was two, she was evacuated from China alongside many other expatriates. That harrowing journey took her across the ocean on a steamer, stopping in Madagascar before finally arriving at Ellis Island. Through faith and determination her parents returned to China after the war with their children in tow, and she went to school at the Chefoo boarding school for missionary kids. But soon after history intervened again, forcing a second evacuation following the Communist Revolution.

After a stint in the US, her parents then moved to serve the Chinese diaspora in the Philippines to continue their mission, while Lois and her siblings remained in the United States, attending boarding school in Wheaton, Illinois. It was during these years at Wheaton Academy that she first learned the story of the five missionary martyrs in Ecuador, instantly feeling a quiet, undeniable call to mission work, and a desire to share her faith.

All told, from the age of six until she went to college, Lois lived largely apart from her parents, raised within boarding schools. Yet this unusual childhood did not dim her spirit. She was famously mischievous - a bit of a stinker who was no stranger to being called into the principal's office and told to "straighten up." That playful spark, sharp wit, and silly sense of humor remained intact throughout her entire life, grounding a character that was fiercely independent and remarkably strong-minded.

At Wheaton College, Lois met Tom Fulghum. Upon discovering that they shared the same faith in the Gospel and a calling for missionary work, they began planning a life dedicated to that shared vision. They were married on June 6, 1959, in Naperville, Illinois. Their journey toward the mission field began with a few years of intentional preparation, first in Bisbee, Arizona, and then back in Wheaton, Illinois. During these years of preparation, they worked as teachers, raised support, Lois finished her Bachelor's degree, and they welcomed the first three of their five children.

In 1967, Lois and Tom took their growing family to Costa Rica for intensive Spanish-language training before settling in Quito, Ecuador, marking the beginning of a vibrant 27-year ministry. Their son Kevin was born in Ecuador, while their daughter Karen was born during one of their US deputation trips. Navigating traveling between the US and Ecuador, as well as coast-to-coast road trips with a small tribe of five children, was no small feat, but they transformed every journey into a warm, joyful adventure.

She sang silly songs to her children - melodies that linger still and have been passed down to her grandchildren. She worked tirelessly to create a cozy, inviting home filled with custom family traditions, playful invented words (like calling fingers "pinners"), and lively rounds of the legendary family "PAAPFTFOTMANR" game. She also shared her faith and values with us and taught us to play fair.

In Ecuador, Lois poured her creative gifts into the community as a grade school and art teacher at the Alliance Academy. Beyond teaching, she was a true artist and sculptor, using her talents across mission events, television studio sets, and school productions. When school plays rolled around, she was a master of costumes and makeup, with a flair for prosthetic noses, chins and ears. Whenever Tom took the stage in colorful theatrical roles over the years, Lois was the genius behind the curtain, once hand-crafting a stunning papier-mâché Roman Centurion costume for him for a televised Easter drama.

Lois was the very spine of the family, serving as a mentor, a confidant, a fine cook, and a stellar home decorator. She was an avid book reader, and during family vacations and coast-to-coast "deputation" road trips in the family Ford station wagon or van, she kept everyone captivated by reading great books aloud for hours on end, delivering a performance far richer than any audiobook could offer. She was also a relentless advocate for Tom and for her oldest son, TJ. She had a unique way of lifting everyone up and pushing them to be better, doing so with a grace that made people forget what a formidable force of nature she was on her own.

Life brought its share of challenges, which she met with characteristic faith, devotion, and ingenuity. In 1975, her second child, Tom Jr. was struck by a car in Quito, Ecuador where adequate medical services did not yet exist. This traumatic experience tested Lois and Tom’s faith, and they made a clear choice to trust God for His plan for their son’s life. During a four-year leave in the United States for TJ's extensive medical treatments, Lois and Tom provided for the family through teaching - she taught art at Wheaton Christian Grammar School while Tom directed band and choir at Wheaton Academy. The family also spent a year in Oregon while Tom worked for the Latin American evangelist, Luis Palau. Once those four years concluded, they returned to Ecuador for many more fruitful years of service.

Family life was rich with community and tradition, filled with fierce Rook card tournaments, sunny vacations at Manta Beach, and energetic school plays shared with dear friends across the missionary community. At one point she ran the HCJB guesthouse which gave her another outlet for her decorative mind by making beautiful and comfortable rooms for guests to enjoy while visiting the mission.

Lois and Tom returned to the United States in the early 2000s and settled in Colorado Springs, where Lois continued her creative endeavors. She was also very active in her local church, joining her much loved Bible study and mentoring young women. This was also a time where they relished being grandparents and spending more time with family.

In their later years at the Glencroft retirement community, her tireless energy showed no signs of slowing down. As a dedicated caregiver for both Tom and their son TJ, she managed complex care with incredible organization. She maintained meticulous records, an impressive feat given her endearing habit of leaving neat little "organized messes" everywhere she went. Lois remained a social and creative dynamo,. She organized neighborly breakfasts and chili suppers in her court, teamed up with campus friends to arrange fresh flowers for the Tulip Patch gift shop, and transformed the campus every Christmas with her trademark artistic flair. She often met with friends to pray and encourage. Her faith sustained her positive spirit through to the end and she looked forward to being in the presence of the Lord.

Lois is survived with deep affection by her kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids: Rebeccah and Keith, along with their children Zach and Amber (and great-grandkids Madeline and Melanie), Aubrey and Garret (and great-grandkids Amelia and Luke), and Corey and Diona; Tom "TJ"; Kevin; Karen and Erik, along with their children Phoebe, Isaac, Dugan, and Anika; and Brian and Lori. Her legacy endures through the generations in every tradition, story, and act of love she left behind.

A Memorial Service will take place on October 24, 2026 at 1:00pm in the auditorium of the Glencroft Center for Modern Aging, 8611 N 67th Ave, Glendale, AZ 85302. The service will be recorded and uploaded soon afterwards, so if you want to view the service return to this page for the link.

Gifts in mom's honor can be given to the ministry they dedicated their lives to - Radio Station HCJB, now known as Reach Beyond, at this link: https://reachbeyond.org/project/lois-fulghum-memorial. "