Sonoma Tribune, Sonoma CA
Saturday
April 12, 2005
 
Earl Louis 'E. Louis' Fulfer 
 
Earl Louis "E. Louis" Fulfer died Saturday, April 9, 2005, following a lengthy illness.
He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as Louis Earl to Ida Ann "IAnn" (Westenberger) and Claude Isaac "Jack" Fulfer on March 20, 1920, joining older brother Charles Claude.
Earl had a difficult childhood which began when his father left the family when Earl was five and included his living in an orphanage from the ages of six to 12 years. He was grateful he and his brother were together those years.
In 1941, Earl became the first in his family to be graduated from college when he commenced from the University of Wisconsin. After completing seminary at Nashotah House, he was ordained a deacon on Feb. 24, 1945 and an Episcopal priest on Aug. 28, 1945. After serving as rector in Delavan, Wisconsin for a few years, Earl began a course of study with the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), and at the end of six months, he converted to the Roman Catholic faith.
In 1950, he moved west to Ceres, California to teach English and history. He became interested in children who needed more help and developed a remedial reading program for students. Earl was blessed with a beautiful baritone voice and in 1959 was singing with the Stockton Chorale Chamber when he met a young lady blessed with a beautiful alto voice.
On Sept. 17, 1960, Earl married Sheila Keil Gillen and they settled in Stockton. One year later, their first child, Anne-Marie, was born. In 1963, Earl moved his family to Sonoma when he began working at Sonoma State Hospital as a special education teacher. In 1964, a second child, Mary Susan was born and in 1969, a third, John. Earl was involved in music all his life, and in 1973 starred as Tony Esposito in a local production of "The Most Happy Fella," a role he reprised in 1976. Also in 1973, he and Sheila were founding members of a community chorale for which he was a long-time member, soloist, and small ensemble member. In 1984 Earl retired from teaching, but not from working. Shortly thereafter, he began working as a night watchman/counselor at Hanna Boys Center; he retired again in 1994.
In his last retirement years, Earl traveled to visit his daughters annually, played over 1,000 games of cribbage with his son, taught English to non-native speakers, was active in the Knights of Columbus, read voraciously, and attended mass at St. Francis twice a week.
Earl was preceded in death by his mother and brother. He is survived by wife Sheila Angela Fulfer at the family home; daughter Anne-Marie Fulfer and her husband, Sunil Ramalingam, Moscow, Idaho; daughter Mary Susan Fulfer and long-time friend Chris Connor, Las Vegas, Nevada; son John Stephen Roberts Fulfer, Bloomfield, Calif.; grandchildren Emma Danielle Fulfer Ramalingam and Benjamin Keil Fulfer Ramalingam, Moscow, Idaho; and mother-in-law Winnifred Keil Fulmer.  
There will be a Memorial Mass on Friday, April 15, at 11 a.m. at St. Francis Solano Church of Sonoma.
Donations in the name of Earl Louis Fulfer to Hanna Boys Center or the St. Francis Solano chapter of the Knights of Columbus are preferred by the family.