Gary Fuller

Graveside Inurnment Committal Services will be held on Saturday, July 5th, 2014 at the Pine Slope Cemetery in Belle Fourche, SD at 11:00 am.   Pastor Jeff Otterman will officiate the service.  Arrangements are with Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche. Gerald G. “Gary” Fuller was born in Belle Fourche South Dakota on December 29, 1954, the oldest son of Jerry and Loretta Fuller.  Gary grew up in Belle Fourche where he attended school until his graduation from Belle Fourche High School in 1973.  Gary and wife, Valerie, were married on August 19, 1974 at St. James Lutheran Church in Belle Fourche.  Gary passed away at home surrounded by his family on November 16, 2010 after a brief but very brave battle with Pancreatic Cancer. Gary is survived by his wife, Valerie (Wilcox) Fuller of Queen Creek, AZ;  two sons,  Jarrod of Queen Creek, AZ ; Jason (Meredith) of Las Vegas, NV.  Gary is also survived by his Father, Jerry Fuller of Belle Fourche, SD and Casa Grande, AZ; three siblings – Greg (Linda) Fuller, Gene Fuller, and Joan (Kurt) Manke of Belle Fourche, SD as well as numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his mother, Loretta Fuller, maternal grandparents Bud and Georgia Davis of Camp Crook, SD, and paternal grandparents Jack and Helen Fuller of Baldwin Park, CA. Family and friends can scarcely remember a time when Gary wasn’t involved in Law Enforcement.  For Gary, being a homicide detective was much more than a job – it was a huge part of his larger than life persona.  Gary had a personality that entered the room 5 minutes before he did and lingered long after he had gone.  He was a dedicated investigator who gave 150% of himself to the victims of every case he worked – and there were hundreds.  Gary began his law enforcement career in Belle Fourche, SD as an officer but was soon appointed Chief Police.  He served as Chief in Belle Fourche for 6 years before moving to Chandler, AZ.   In Chandler, Gary worked as a patrol officer until 1995 when he transferred to the Robbery / Homicide unit.  Gary worked as a Crisis Negotiator, a member of the Special Assignment Unit, Critical Incident Stress Management Team as well as an Advanced Officer Training instructor.  Gary was instrumental in helping to establish the Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Campaign.  Gary was dedicated to his career and was passionate about binging comfort and closure to all of his victims and their families. Gary enjoyed the outdoors – hunting, fishing and teaching his sons the art of grilling and Dutch oven cooking.  Gary and Valerie shared a love of Grand Teton National Park and spent many summers in the mountains of Wyoming. One will never comprehend the number of lives Gary has touched or how much he will be missed by those who love him.  He was a husband who shared the joys of life with his wife – his best friend.  Together, they taught their sons the lessons that will lead them through life.  He was a rock for his victims and their families.  His warm smile, “Fullerisms” and dedication to everyone who shared his life will be forever missed.  Services for Gary Fuller were held at Chandler Christian Church in Chandler, AZ on Saturday, December 4, 2010 at 10:00 am.  Arrangements are with Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche.