The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1923, Page 54

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54

The Lutheran Pioneer.

oo FS. —— TSF

teachers, and of all who have an interest in them,
that the Lord God would keep them during the
summer from all temptations, from sin, and every
evil of body and soul. R.0.L. L.

+ Mrs. Avy V. Fuller. +

Our Colored Missions have sustained a severe
loss in the death of Mrs. Avy V. Fuller, the wife of
Rey. J. W. Fuller. She was his able assistant in the
mission-school at Spartanburg, S.C. Concerning

Rev. J. W. Fuller.

this great loss Rey. John McDavid writes under
date of June 4: — 3

“I returned last night from Clarkton, N. C.,
where it was my sad duty to preach the sermon at
the burial services of Mrs. Avy Victoria Fuller, be-
loved wife of Rev. J. W. Fuller, of Spartanburg,
S.C. More than 700 persons, white and colored,
had turned out to pay their last tribute of respect
to this dear sister in the Lord. Last Wednesday
I received a letter informing me of her death. The
next morning I went to Spartanburg in the com-
pany of Revs. Alston and Hunt. Rev. Hunt and
I remained till 11 v.21, when the body was re-
moved to Clarkton, and accompanied Rev. Fuller
and his mother-in-law as far as Charlotte. We had
a short service at the house before we left. About
an hour before the service it started to rain, but

this did not prevent a large crowd from gathering
to see Mrs. Fuller for the last time. Many could -
not get into the house, but remained outside in the
rain till the service was over. I never saw so many
flowers at a funeral. We took a number of large
boxes with us, but had to leave some behind. Her
little pupils, with tears dripping from their eyes,
would come and place their wreaths and bouquets
near the casket. More than a hundred people went
with us to the train despite the rain. The people
of Spartanburg held Mrs. Fuller in highest esteem,
and the children loved her as a dear mother.

“When we were in Spartanburg a month ago,
Mrs. Fuller was in school, though she looked weak
and care-worn. A week later she was no longer
vable to leave her bed. The best physicians, after
examining her, declared that she had only a very
slight chance of recovery, and that only if she
would submit to a very serious operation. ‘The
operation was performed by the most skilful sur-
geons. She rallied after the operation, and for
a number of days hopes were entertained that she
would recover. But suddenly, on Tuesday evening,
May 29, she grew worse and had passed away before
her husband could reach her bedside.

“Mrs. Fuller was born near Clarkton, N. C.,
September 9, 1880, and was the second daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. A. I’. Spaulding, a very industrious
and pious old couple. She attended the local
schools till her graduation in 1898. In the follow-
ing year she entered Shaw University, finishing the
normal course of that institution in 1902. During
the next three years she taught public school. In
1905 she was married to Rev. J. W. Fuller, who was
then a druggist. Their union was blessed with one
son. While living in Charlotte, their boy attended
our school, and through him the writer became
acquainted with the parents. ‘The little boy was
so carried away with our school that he told his
parents that he wanted to be a Lutheran pastor.
The boy was accidentally killed. Shortly afterwards
the father declared that he would take the hoy’s place.
Me was instructed at Concord by Pastor Schwehn,
now of Philadelphia, was confirmed, entered Im-
manuel College, and since 1917 has been’ one of
our most active missionaries. While her husband
was stationed at Meherrin, Va., Mrs. Fuller was
active in helping him; but in Spartanburg, as
a primary teacher, she especially showed her re-
markable talents and proved a wonderful mission-
ary asset. She had the gift not only of imparting
knowledge to her pupils, but of winning their most