Jon A. Fulton

A man of great strength and courage with an insatiable zest for life, Jon Tony Fulton lived each day to the fullest. Jon was blessed to share over thirty years with his beloved wife, Linda. Their greatest joy was raising their three beautiful children, Jennifer, Elizabeth and Jonathan.

Although he accomplished much of which to be proud, he was a humble man whose focus was on being kind, compassionate, and friendly towards those around him. Jon had a great sense of humor and a contagious, goofy laugh. He loved pulling off practical jokes, which made his personality unforgettable. Although his time on Earth ended too soon, he had a significant influence on the lives of many.

The decade of the 1950s was a colorful time in American history. Rock n roll transformed the world of music, James Dean topped movies at the box office and Elvis was king. America welcomed Alaska and Hawaii as our 49th and 50th states, and the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union was well underway. As the decade came to a close, a young couple from Warren, Michigan, Buddy Doyle and Anna Gail (Cox) Fulton, were joyfully anticipating the arrival of their firstborn son, Jon Anthony.

Raised in the family home alongside his brothers, Paul and Michael, Tony experienced an upbringing that was fairly typical for those in the metro Detroit areahis father worked for Chrysler, while his mother was a homemaker. Having been born with muscular dystrophy, Tony had multiple surgeries from the age of two, well into his early teen years. Despite having to overcome incredible obstacles at such a young age, he had a positive attitude and never let things get him down. He was a true inspiration to his family and friends.

As a teen, Tony enjoyed things like swimming, bicycling, and cars. He cherished being on the water and loved family vacations at Michigans beautiful Torch Lake, as well as spending summers with his grandparents in Alabama. After graduating from East Detroit High School in 1977, Jon pursued a Bachelors of Religious Education degree at Rochester College.

It was at the college that Jon met the woman with whom he would share his life, Linda Brown. The couple started dating when he stopped in at the colleges admissions office for some help in selecting an evening Bible class. Linda recruited him, and after one particularly delicious dinner she prepared to celebrate his birthday, he decided she truly was the woman of his dreams! The rest is history. The couple wed April 21, 1984 and made their first home in Troy, Michigan. Together they delighted in the births of three children. As his children grew, Jon enjoyed seeing them participate in extracurricular activities and was proud of their academic and other life accomplishments.

In 1980, Jon began a 10-year position at Kmarts international headquarters in Troy as an import accountant. He spent his first earnings on his prized possession, a 1979 Camaro. In 1991, when Jon and Linda relocated their family to Indiana, he went to work for Passages, Inc. in Columbia City. He retired in 2013 after 23 years in the fiscal department. He was widely known to the clients of Passages as Big Jon, The Man with the Money.

Jon was an avid sports fan, enjoying both University of Michigan and Detroit Lions football. Most of all, his beloved Detroit Tigers were his favorite hometown team. As long as his health allowed, he enjoyed deer hunting with his friends, Mark and Dave Sherfield, and golfing with his father and Kmart coworkers. He also bowled several seasons with a Church of Christ league in the metro Detroit area. He was a huge music fan, doing unforgettable impersonations of Elvis.

On return visits to his native Michigan, Jon especially enjoyed the culinary delights of Buddys pizza, Yates Cider Mill and Frankenmuths famous chicken dinners. When the family traveled south, they enjoyed visiting the Great Smokey Mountains.

The main focus of Jons collegiate studies was the Bible. He was a member of the Warsaw Church of Christ and he served as a deacon for the churchs mission program. He also taught many Sunday school classes and served in part-time ministry capacities throughout the years. Jon also enjoyed fundraising so that children with neuromuscular diseases could enjoy the Muscular Dystrophy Associations summer camp program.

Jon treasured his wife and family. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered by them and countless others whose lives he touched.

Jon A. Fulton of Columbia City, IN, passed away early Tuesday morning, October 14, 2014, at Parkview Regional Medical Center, Fort Wayne. Jons family includes his wife, Linda Fulton; children, Jennifer L. (Ryan) Porter, Elizabeth Fulton, and Jonathan Fulton, all of Rochester Hills, Michigan; brothers, Paul J. (Shelley) Fulton of Bad Axe, Michigan and Michael B. (Susan) Fulton of Warren, Michigan. Several nieces and nephews also survive. Jon was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents. Visitation will be held on Friday, October 17, 2014 from 2-8 p.m. at DeMoney-Grimes, a Life Story Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 18, 2014 at the funeral home. Burial will follow at South Park Annex Cemetery. The family requests that memorial gifts in Jons honor be given to the Rochester College Foundation or Passages, Inc.