David Fulford

Full name Robert David Fulford.

From "St James the Greater Quarterly Summer 2012" newsletter:

Despite moving to Billesdon ten years ago and becoming a worshipper at the village church, David with Mary also kept up their connection with St James’s – particularly appreciating the Sunday 8.30 service.

Born in Kenilworth in 1930, his family later moved to Evington. David started work in a junior position at Parker’s shoe manufacturers and worked his way up the organisation. He became Buying Director, travelling to many places in the world to buy leather for British Shoe Corporation factories in Leicester and Northampton.

David courted Mary Frizelle through attending evening services at St James’s. They were married by Lawrence Jackson in 1965 and settled in Bankart Avenue. They had a daughter Fiona and son Neil. Tragically in 1982, Neil developed Reyes Syndrome on top of flu and died suddenly. He and Mary channelled their efforts into the Reyes Syndrome Association, raising money to fund research and lobbying for withdrawal of aspirin for use with children.

David made many good friends through his long membership of the Leicestershire Golf Club, Leicester Rotary Club, Antiques Society and church recording for Leicester Decorative and Fine Arts Society and latterly Probus.

In all of his connections he was known for being forthright in his views.

Always wanting to keep busy, David particularly liked working with his hands and over the years experimented with pottery, metalwork, woodwork, growing vegetables and restoring old clocks. Always happy enjoying nature, especially from their holiday cottage in Fring, Norfolk, in retirement David developed a passion for bird watching and with Mary travelled widely around the world with a view to seeing exotic bird species.

David was a private man who did not want to publicise the Pulmonary Fibrosis, which he lived with for 18 months. He gradually became more breathless and increasingly became frustrated with not being able to be active.

He died in his sleep.