H.R. No. 2812

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, The passing of World War II veteran and volunteer bugler Hugh Bob Fuller, Sr., of Waco on January 30, 2007, at the age of 82, will long be mourned by his family, friends, and fellow veterans; and

WHEREAS, Born October 17, 1924, in Rogers to Omar Frank and Nell Fuller, Hugh Bob Fuller got his first horn, a three dollar cornet, from his father in 1937; following his graduation from Waco High School, the 17-year-old ROTC student attended Tarleton College in Stephenville and played "Taps" for the first time at a memorial service held on campus after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor; and

WHEREAS, Answering his nation's call to duty, Mr. Fuller served from 1942 to 1946 with the 69th Infantry Division of the United States Army in the European theater, where he was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge and witnessed the liberation of Buchenwald concentration camp; and

WHEREAS, Returning to Waco, he attended Baylor University and played in the school band; when his father fell ill, he quit college and abandoned his goal of becoming a band director to take over the family business, Fuller Auto Parts; while running the operation, he continued to play in an 11-piece dance band called Reminiscence, which performed favorite tunes from the big band era at dances, weddings, and the Shriners Christmas Ball; and

WHEREAS, After selling the business and retiring, Mr. Fuller gave generously of his time and resources to play "Taps" at veterans' funerals; Mr. Fuller objected to the practice of playing a CD recording of "Taps" when a live bugler wasn't available, and so he offered his services as a bugler to as many as 300 services a year all over Texas; and

WHEREAS, He sometimes performed "Taps" in formation with other members of VFW Post No. 4819, in all seasons and all weather, and in recent years often found himself playing tearfully at the funerals of longtime friends; he practiced his bugle every day, often with the accompaniment of his terrier, Bo; each night before bed he played his favorite song, Hoagy Carmichael's "Stardust," the first song he ever learned on the trumpet; and

WHEREAS, Refusing to accept payment for his patriotic tributes, Mr. Fuller performed an invaluable service for Texas veterans, which earned him the heartfelt gratitude of grieving family members and his fellow veterans; his dedication was chronicled in newspaper articles, in Southern Living magazine, and by the television program Texas Country Reporter; in keeping with his unselfish devotion to remembering the fallen, "Taps" was performed at Mr. Fuller's own funeral by his friend, Korean War veteran William C. Hall; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas Legislature hereby honor the life of Hugh Bob Fuller, Sr., and offer sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his daughter, Mary Nell Dowd and her husband, Don; to his son, Hugh Bob Fuller, Jr., and his wife, Terryca; to his sisters, Joan Hudson and her husband, Gay, and Oma Nell Nemmer and her husband, Richard; to his grandchildren, Hugh Bob Fuller III and his wife, Melissa, Justin Millar Fuller, and Kacy Tillman and her husband, Andrew; to his special friend, Joanna Fuller; and to his other relatives and friends; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Hugh Bob Fuller, Sr.

Anderson

______________________________ Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 2812 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on May 26, 2007.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House