Linda Rae Fuller

Linda Rae Fuller, 78 years old, was called to her heavenly home as Saturday commenced on April 30, 2022 only 5 minutes past midnight gifting us with “one more day.”

In 1943, Linda Rae Montgomery was born on Thanksgiving Day to Ray and Evelyn Montgomery. Her dad received the news of her birth on Christmas Day. The baby girl waited patiently to meet her daddy for two years, since he was in the Pacific Theater during World War II.

Linda’s younger siblings arrived in subsequent years as her childhood was spent in a variety of places as an “Army Brat”, most notably Japan and France. She was disappointed that the Army’s shipping department dumped overboard many of Evelyn’s and Linda’s collections of porcelain figurines and Hummel which she spent her allowance on during “after school shopping trips” in France. She could still speak/understand a bit of both Japanese and French even after her stroke.

When the “family” retired from the military, they settled in Aurora, Colorado where Linda attended Aurora High School (now Aurora Central). She was in the Ski Club and Rifle Club. She was in the last graduating class of AHS in 1962. Graduation from Colorado State College (now UNC) followed in 1966 where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority.

After graduating, Linda waited for the “younger” man she met at a Chi Alpha Retreat to also graduate from CSC. They were wed on June 21, 1968 at Calvary Temple in Denver, Colorado. They always had a love for travel and adventure. Taking trips to China, Alaska, Canada, and the Caribbean. Just before their first child arrived, they were planning to jump out of helicopters to go skiing in Canada. As the children grew, they did sail on catamarans twelve meter boats in the Caribbean, backpacked in the Rockies (even when the children were small), golfed all over Colorado, and participated in church ministries and activities.

Her teaching days in the Aurora Public School District began at Park Lane Elementary School (north of Fitzsimons Army Hospital) in 1966 where she taught 5th grade for seven years. Then she taught kindergarten for the next 26 years of her 33-year career at Vaughn Elementary School (south of Fitzsimons). The year before her retirement, Linda had 33 students in the morning and 33 in the afternoon as kindergarten was half day in Colorado at the time.

Linda was also passionate about her faith and served the Lord and children and adults. Many friends and family have shared loving memories about Linda’s service (teaching of course or doing whatever was needed) in Missionettes, MOPS, Noah’s Ark (PreK), Before-We-Say-I-Do Classes, Operation Gift Drop, First Family, Fuller Scholarship Committee, etc. As the wife of an active member of the Board of Deacons she quietly applied her leadership skills. We are Eternally grateful for her work and your kind words.

Of course, a significant stroke in 2012 altered Linda’s life. Don and Linda started a “new life” together. Trust in a personal God who knows and cares (available to anyone who places their trust in Him) carried them both through the subsequent troubles producing endurance that has forever impacted their character, and given them HOPE. During the stroke journey people frequently commented about “how” she communicated with them due to expressive aphasia. Many often mentioned: “her eyes and face and gestures are just so expressive.” We believe that the “light” many witnessed was the “light of the Holy Spirit” indwelling her. She didn’t need words to let you see Yeshua (Jesus) shining through. The family wants you to know that at the last moments in this earthly life that light continued to shine and last wishes were met: someone holding my hand and warm feet.

Left to cherish her memory is her beloved husband of almost 55 years, Dr. Donald E. Fuller. Linda is also survived by her daughter, Amy Fuller Stenger and her husband, Thad Stenger; her son, Jonathan Fuller, and his wife, Heidi Fuller; four adoring grandchildren: Casey Stenger Faulkner and husband, Jalen Faulkner; Cole Stenger, Jonah Fuller, and Clara Fuller. Three siblings–Dan Montgomery (Chris), Donna Untiedt (Mike), and Sue Wathen (John); a brother-in-law, Ron Fuller (Teresa) and a host of other relatives, friends, and hundreds of former students. May the HOPE of seeing her again grant all of us peace that passes understanding during this time.