James Girlie Fulgham

Mr. James Girlie Fulgham, 91. of Brownsboro, passed away March 15, 2008. Funeral services were held Tuesday, March 18, at Calvary Baptist Church in Brownsboro, with Rev. James Golden and Rev. Jonathan Parker officiating.

Interment followed at Oaklawn Memorial Park, Athens, Texas, under direction of Eubank Funeral Home, Canton, Texas.

Mr. Fulgham was born August 26, 1916 in Ben Wheeler, Texas, grew up in the Stanger Springs community near Ben Wheeler. During his early school years he attended Stanger Springs and Pine Bluff schools. He graduated from Van High School in 1934, then farmed the land until he was drafted into the service at the age of 25, serving in the Amphibian Infantry in World War II in Company I-184 Infantry, 7, where he was a machine gunner. He earned four Battle Stars, Combat Infantry Badge and one Purple Heart.

"I saw a lot while in the Army, and lots of things I didn't want to see," he said to The Statesman reporter who interviewed him preceding his 90th birthday celebration in August, 2006.

Arriving back home from military service, Fulgham began farming again. "Farming is all I had ever done," he said. Girlie's cousin, Ivy Fulgham offered him a job at the First State Bank in Brownsboro as a cashier and later as vice president. "I guess it was all right," he said. "I stayed there 34 years."

He was a member of the Calvary Baptist Church in Brownsboro.

Preceding him in death were his parents, Wiley DeLafayette and Lula Stanger Fulgham; his wife, Mildred Fulgham on Sept. 9, 2002; three sisters, Ruthie Corly, Callie Bullard and Lorene Stewart; two brothers, Albert Fulgham and Stewart Ray Fulgham.

His survivors include nieces and nephews and a host of friends.

Serving as pallbearers were Greg Wyatt, James Hughes, Leroy Chambers, Ben Bearden, Dusty Wise and Joe Stephens.