Richard Fullam - Obituary

ichard Joseph "Dick" Fullam Jr., 88, a resident of Annapolis for 13 years and previously of Springfield, Va., died at his home April 19 of leukemia after a short illness. Mr. Fullam was born Feb. 6, 1922, in Washington, D.C. He graduated from Catholic University in 1943 with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. A WWII veteran, he served in the U.S. Navy as a Lt. (jg) (A) USNR aboard the USS Lexington where he served as a catapult and arresting gear officer during WWII. His experiences dealing with a kamikaze attack on board the Lexington are recounted in the book "At War With the Wind" by David Sears. He was awarded the WWII Victory Ribbon, American Area Campaign Ribbon, Asiatic Ribbon (4 stars) and Philippine Liberation Ribbon (2 stars). After the navy, he began his long career as an aerospace engineer contractor working on a variety of NASA programs such as LEM and the solar panels for the Mars fly-by. He also worked on the development of nuclear submarines. He was a member of the Springfield Civitan Club for 25 years, and he served for 20 years on the Board of Directors for Camp Tapawingo, a residential summer camp for the mentally challenged. He was a test pilot and a certified commercial pilot, and also a certified logistician. His love of flying was obvious to all who knew him and he shared his enthusiasm for flying with everyone. He particularly enjoyed Flight Simulator on the computer. He was predeceased by his son, Thomas Osgood; and daughters, Cynthia Parry and Linda Thornton. Survivors include his wife, Patricia Fullam; one son, Richard Fullam III of Moab, Utah; three daughters, Laura Osgood of Germantown, Barbara McCaffrey of Davidsonville and Donna Osgood Herberger of Annapolis; 10 grandchildren; and his sister, Ann Steele of Bethesda. Visitation will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 25 at George P. Kalas Funeral Home, 2973 Solomons Island Rd., Edgewater. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, April 26 at the Kalas Funeral Home, with interment immediately following funeral service at Maryland Veterans Cemetery in Crownsville. Donations may be made to Hospice of the Chesapeake, 445 Defense Hwy., Annapolis, MD 21401