Remembering Chuck

This Thanksgiving, in a time when decency and service to humanity often seem in short supply, we remember Ret. Army Col. Charles W. “Chuck” Fulkerson, who exemplified both.

Born in humble circumstances on a farm in the rural community of Jerome, Idaho, Chuck knew hard work from an early age. His father, Newt, spared his sons no chore, pushing them all toward a college education so they could make a life choice free of the drudgery of farming.

Chuck came to Reno to earn his degree and was commissioned as a second lieutenant from the UNR ROTC program in 1955. He went on to serve his country for 36 years, including two combat tours in Vietnam, where he witnessed unspeakable horror. He returned to his family bearing the battle scars of many an Army veteran, and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and a significant loss of hearing with hardly a complaint for the rest of his life.

Chuck was not a braggart, never boasting about his numerous combat decorations, including two Bronze Stars, two Legions of Merit, and the Vietnam Service Medal with four campaign stars. He was also proclaimed a Distinguished Nevadan by UNR and was inducted into the ROTC Hall of Fame.

Chuck went on to serve in the National Guard and was appointed by Gov. Kenny Guinn as the executive director of the Nevada Office of Veterans Services, overseeing the construction of the Southern Nevada Veterans Home. He was a fierce advocate for veterans, never afraid to speak his mind. He couldn’t understand why a Veterans Home wasn’t also built in Northern Nevada and harassed many a legislator, me most of all, for more funding, insisting there could be no higher priority in the state budget. He championed the creation of a Women’s Veterans Coordinator to advocate for “the silent warriors” and participated in a snowy campout in a cardboard box on the legislative grounds to demonstrate the plight of homeless veterans.

Chuck knew no boundaries when it came to service, working just as hard as a private citizen to right a wrong. When he discovered that women and children were sleeping in their cars as their loved one was being cared for in the Veterans Hospital, he co-founded the Veterans Guest House to provide free lodging. When he learned about the plight of battered women with nowhere to flee from abuse, he assisted the Committee to Aid Abused Women in finding a suitable shelter. When he heard about a local veteran unable to get home for Christmas, he invited him to his own home for dinner.

Chuck was a strong supporter of the Boy Scouts, receiving the Silver Beaver Award for his volunteer work. Yet in 1992, he decided to resign from the Boy Scouts in protest of their refusal to allow gay men to participate, a position contrary to his values.

During the last few years, Chuck bravely confronted a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, learning to lean more heavily on family to guide his daily activities. He was still able to enjoy the outdoors but had difficulty with memory and social situations. He enjoyed a hearty laugh or a resounding chorus of “God Bless America,” albeit a bit too loudly despite his fine singing voice.

Chuck leaves behind his dedicated wife of 57 years, Mary Lee, and three children, Cathy, Jake, and Bob, who grew up leapfrogging between military bases in the United States and Germany before graduating from Reno High School. He also leaves five grandchildren who will miss fishing and hunting with their grandfather, visiting the farm to see the lambs, and hearing his endless stories.

Chuck died on Oct. 25 in the place he was born, a true humanitarian, always brave in battles foreign and domestic, always present for others.