Gilbert Fuller Obituary

Gilbert Ronald Fuller, 79, passed away peacefully on February 19, 2025 at HopeWest in Grand Junction, Colorado, after succumbing to cancer. His wife, Susan and granddaughter Alice were at his side. 

Gilbert is preceded in death by his parents, and his brothers Glen and Grant. He is survived by his wife, Susan, his sister, Barbara Shurtz, brothers Gerald, Gordon, and Gene, and three sons Ronald (wife, Nicole), Douglas, and Samuel, and six wonderful grandchildren. 

Gilbert was born at Fort Meade, Maryland, on March 23, 1945 to Gerald Ralph and Glenda Richardson Fuller, the second of seven children. He spent his formative years in Mesa Arizona, College Station Texas, Ft. Worth Texas, and Little Rock Arkansas. He earned his Eagle Scout Award and graduated from Little Rock Central High School in 1960, where he was a linebacker on the football team.

Gilbert served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Yucatán Mexico. He attended Brigham Young University and earned a degree in Economics. He married Susan Gayle Heiner on June 20, 1967 in Oklahoma City. After graduating from BYU in 1968 he entered US Navy Flight Officer training in Pensacola Florida and was later stationed in Corpus Christi Texas and Norfolk Virginia. He then attended the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry, graduating in 1977, then served three years in the Navy Dental Corps at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton California. He later joined a Navy Reserve medical unit at Buckley Air National Guard Base in Aurora Colorado. 

The family moved to Grand Junction Colorado in 1980 where Gilbert practiced dentistry until 2011, with Susan as his office manager and assistant. The family kept various pets including dogs, cats, birds, fish, rodents and snakes. The three sons graduated from Fruita Monument High School. Gilbert and the boys enjoyed BMX racing and working on projects. Gil could fix just about anything, always working on cars, bikes, irrigation, plumbing and projects around the house, garage and yard. He was up on the roof winterizing the swamp cooler in October.

Gil loved his family and spending time with them outdoors, especially hiking and bicycling. He and Susan rode more than 25,000 miles together on their tandem bicycle before the last odometer gave out. They enjoyed many long-distance, multi-day rides including the Triple Bypass, Ride the Rockies, Pedal the Peaks, and the RAGBRAI, along with friends Joel & Betty Bechtel and Bruce Christensen. They frequently rode across the Colorado National Monument, and they joined a tandem tour of the Hawaiian Islands. 

Alice, William, Brian, Spencer, Henry, and Lillian all spoke to their beloved grandpa in his final hours of life to listen to him breathe, to give their love, and say goodbye. He was surely waiting to hear their voices before drawing his last breath. Many dozens of nieces, nephews and in-laws also loved Uncle Gilbert. Gil was always quick to share a story, a theory, or a laugh. He also loved his cats, who stayed by his side during his final days.

A memorial will be held at 1:00 pm on Friday, March 7th at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Grand Junction, followed by a service and a banquet at the Fruitvale LDS chapel.

To honor Gil, the family suggests a contribution to HopeWest Hospice.