Fannie "Jan" Fleming Fullbright

Fannie “Jan” Fleming Fullbright, 92, of Hickory, died on September 22, 2018 at Catawba Regional Hospice House. Jan was born March 27, 1926 in Pampa, Texas to the late Jay Hugh Fleming and Mary Olive VanDevanter Fleming. Jan was also preceded in death by her beloved husband of 64 years, Iris Theodore “Ted” Fullbright, a WWII B-29 pilot and 49-year employee of the Hickory Daily Record; by her son Phillip T. Fullbright of Indian Valley, Virginia; and by 7 brothers and 3 sisters. Jan worked in Hickory City Schools over 33 years, last as a kindergarten teacher’s aide at Jenkins Elementary School, a job she loved. She changed the lives of hundreds of Hickory children and their children. Many of them may not have realized that Jan painted the murals at Jenkins School and at Highland Elementary School. She also painted the mural for Catawba County’s exhibit at the NC State Fair. Always looking for ways to serve others, Jan volunteered with American Red Cross blood drives, the Hickory Soup Kitchen, and was active in First Baptist Church Hickory, where she was a member over 70 years. An artist, a lover of music, a devoted friend of birds, a prolific letter-writer (with personally-illustrated envelopes) and an irrepressible joke-teller, Jan delighted both those who knew her well, and new acquaintances. She is survived by son Michael Fullbright of Mohale’s Hoek, Lesotho, Africa; daughters Denise Y. Murray and husband Duane Murray of Newton, and Sharan J. Taylor and husband Tom Taylor of Ewing, NJ; daughter-in-law Deborah Washam Fullbright of Indian Valley, VA; granddaughter Andrea Fullbright and her husband Daniel “Zingo” Munger of Washington, DC; grandson Paul W. Fullbright, wife Marcy Goldberg and great-granddaughter Zoe, of Cary, NC; sister Alice Ludia “Judy” Porter of Temple, Texas; sisters-in-law Marcella R. Fullbright, Eva Pearl “Bill” Fullbright and Becky Fullbright of Hickory, and Jane Kirby of Seneca, SC; and numerous loved nieces and nephews. A celebration of Jan’s life will be held at First Baptist Church Hickory on Saturday, September 29 at 3:00pm, with Dr. Don Gordon officiating, assisted by the Rev. Pat Pearce. The family will receive friends prior to the service at 2:00pm at the church. Memorials may be made to the Lesotho Fund at First Baptist Church, 339 2nd Avenue NW Hickory 28601, or to Hospice of Catawba Valley, 3975 Robinson Rd., Newton, NC 28658.