Marblehead…..

Marblehead…..


Linda B. (Babin) Fuller age 62, loving and devoted wife of Richard Fuller, Sr., for 42 years died unexpectedly Saturday February 29, in the Naples Community Hospital after suffering a heart attack.

Born in Lynn, the daughter of Edwin C. Babin of Naples, FL and the late Mary (Bartlett) Babin, she was raised and educated in Swampscott. Following her graduation from Swampscott High School in 1963, she and her husband, a 1962 graduate of Swampscott High School, married and began a family. In the first 5 years of their marriage they had four children. While Mr. Fuller pursued his education at Boston College, where he played on the hockey team, Mrs. Fuller would bring her young family into Boston College to visit their dad and cheer him on as she did throughout her life.

As they grew and pursued their educations, she became employed at the Henny Penny Nursery School and earned her Bachelor's Degree from Salem State College. Later Linda became the director of the Ocean Breeze Nursery School in Swampscott for several years, where she developed a successful program that three of her grandson's have enjoyed the benefit of.

Becoming a kindergarten teacher in 1986 she began her lifelong journey as an educator and taught for 20 years at the Coffin/Gerry schools in Marblehead. She was loved by her students, their parents, and colleagues and in 1996 she graduated from Lesley College with a Masters in Education. Her accomplishments included the development of a whole language program, she pioneered full day kindergarten in Marblehead, and was the recipient of many Science grants some of which were used to create an oceanography unit still in place today.

Although she retired in 2006, she stayed very involved in education and was an active volunteer in the Swampscott/Marblehead Schools, especially in her grandchildren's classes. In the summer she was involved in ARTS at the Tower School where she was the Nature Director in their summer camp program. The children even gave her the nickname "Nature"! She did such a wonderful job bringing nature to everyone.

Passionate about life and all it had to offer, Mrs. Fuller had active days filled with many interests. As a naturalist, she enjoyed exploring nature at Joppa Flats in Newburyport and was an active volunteer with the Mass Audubon Society; she even recruited her granddaughter, Grace as a junior volunteer.

Her entrepreneurial spirit shined through in her arts and crafts, cooking and canning. As she pursued these talents, Mrs. Fuller would be seen around town at various craft shows. It wasn't unusual for a friend to offer her some grapes or fruit as a gift that she would later make into her special jams and jellies; you never knew who would be the lucky recipients of the finished product.

She also enjoyed The Calla Lilies singing group, golfing, bird watching, butterflies, her bridge club, and book club and Boston College sports. In a typical fall day it wasn't unusual to see the Fuller family off to a pre-game tailgate party at Chestnut Hill, watch the game, to be followed by a post game tailgate. She would then continue to Haymarket Square's Quincy Market and shop for her bargain produce, have dinner with her husband in the North End and return home to an evening of cooking for family and friends. A generous, kind and giving individual, she never had a bad word to say and delighted in giving to others.

In her recent retirement, Mrs. Fuller was also a volunteer story teller to young children at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem. Generous with her time, she was extremely family oriented. For many years the family has been a member of the Beach Club where she enjoyed being together with family and friends for cookouts and swims. Her love for adventure and nature brought her to multiple destinations. She recently traveled internationally with her husband and friends to Italy; with her sister and niece to the natures of Costa Rica; with her daughter and grand daughter to the city streets of New York; and of course the beaches of Florida with her loving husband. Surrounded by family and friends, her passion was to explore her surroundings, you could often spot her with her binoculars ready to take it all in.

Her caring and giving nature continued to her death. Mrs. Fuller was an organ donor, donating her vital organs to others allowing them to fulfill their own dreams and kindnesses.

In addition to her husband and father, she is survived by four children Susan F. McGurrin and her husband Peter of Marblehead, Sarah A. Fuller and her companion Keith McCue of Charlestown, Sharon F. Cole and her husband Dana of Haverhill and Richard Fuller Jr. and his wife Jennifer Wells Fuller of Swampscott; six grandchildren who affectionately called her "Nunee", Grace, Andrew and Charlie McGurrin, William and Henry Fuller and Aiden McCue; two sisters Judi Nicholson and her husband Gordon of Naples, FL (formerly of Winchester), and Denise Babin of North Reading; she was also a loving aunt to her many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by a brother John A. Babin.

Her funeral will be held on Saturday, March 8th at 9:15 A.M. from the Murphy Funeral Home, 85 Federal St (corner of North St.) Salem to be followed by a funeral Mass at 10:00 A.M. in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, 85 Atlantic Ave., Marblehead, MA. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Visiting hours will be Friday from 4 to 8 P.M.. Interment will be in Waterside Cemetery, Marblehead. In lieu of flowers, those who wish may make contributions to the Mass Audubon Joppa Flats Education Center for schools and families in memory of Linda Fuller, attention: Betsy Watson, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 or online donations can be made at www.massaudubon.org.

For online guest book or additional information please visit www.MurphyFuneralHome.com or call 978 744 0497.