John Fuller

Memorial services for John Theodore Fuller, 95, of Cookeville will be held Wednesday August 24. Mr. Fuller died Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at Bethesda Health Care Center. He was born June 21, 1916 in New Harmony, Indiana to the late Harry and Mary Watson Fuller. Mr. Fuller was a retired Riverboat Captain. His river connection began with the Corps of Engineers; then he became a Captain with the U. S. Merchant Marines. He was chosen to move the Saturn Booster Rocket from Huntsville, Alabama to the launch site in Cape Canaveral, Florida in l969, a distance of 2200 miles by water. Later he served as Port Captain for the fleet of boats and barges in New Orleans. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Evelyn Fuller, a grandson, Todd Fuller, three half brothers, Howard Watson, Erwin Watson and Gene Watson. Mr. Fuller is survived by two sons and a daughter-in-law, Kenneth and Carol Fuller of Cookeville and Doug Fuller of Houston, TX; one granddaughter, Lisa Fuller, a grandson, Joshua Wells and his wife Stacey, and three great great grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to Cookeville First United Methodist Church Food Pantry, 165 E. Broad St., Cookeville, TN 38501.