03/12/2026
William Rutledge Fuller Jr.
William "Bill" Rutledge Fuller, Jr., of Plainville, MA, passed away on March 7, 2026, in Walpole, MA at age 89. Bill was born on September 28, 1936, in Blaine, ME, to William Rutledge Fuller, Sr. and Dorothy Grace (Thomas) Fuller.
Bill was one of five brothers. He played the trumpet in high school, played youth basketball in his church league, and was an altar boy. He graduated from North Attleboro High with the class of 1955.
For many years, Bill and his brothers worked at their parents' restaurant "Wally's", on Route 1 in Plainville, MA. He married his high school sweetheart, Barbara Ann Kell, on April 6, 1957. They built a life together across 68 years and had five children. Bill and Barbara raised their family in the Grace Episcopal Churches. They took many family trips to Bill's parents' home in Maine and moved a few times over the years - including to Illinois, Tennessee, and spent many years in Florida - before settling down in North Attleboro, MA and then Plainville, MA.
Bill was a veteran of the United States Army and Army Reserves. He earned his certificate in professional engineering and his associate's degree attending night school at Northeastern University in Boston. He was a long-time employee for The Foxboro Company (now a brand of Schneider Electric) and even played in their softball league. He also worked for many years at General Electric in Boston and for the companies Omni Controls and Square D in electrical engineering sales and measurement. Bill was a Master Mason and a certified Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret, 32° for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction in Massachusetts. He was the president of North Attleboro Jaycees from 1965-1966, during which time he helped build the ski slope at World War I Memorial Park and Zoo and repaired and maintained the Angle Tree Stone Memorial.
Bill was humble, kind, bright, and loving. He thoroughly enjoyed reading, fishing, and playing golf as well as frequently camped at Scusset beach. He spent many years traveling and camping with the Jolly Foxes and the Foxes Den where he met several of his life-long friends. For many years, Bill would take his family in their RV to camp at Disney's Fort Wilderness campground. In the later years, he and Barbara would make the trip themselves.
Bill loved his family very much and spending time with them was important to him. He loved watching his grandkids and great-grandkids grow up. He watched them swim, play, and horse around in the yard for hours. He would attend every school or sporting event from soccer, baseball, and football games to cheer competitions, track meets, and graduations. His family meant everything to him, especially his wife Barbara.
Bill is survived by his wife Barbara; children, William R. Fuller, III, Pamela Fuller Gauvin, Karen Baker and her husband Jeff, and Kevin Fuller; grandchildren, Sean Fuller, Cassandra Columbo, Kayla Gauvin, Jason Fuller, April Fuller Liuzzi, Mackenzie Acevedo and her husband Johnny, Benjamin Baker, Megan Travers and her husband Erik, Ted Baker, and Zachary Fuller; and brothers Lawrence Fuller and his wife Rita, Richard Fuller and his wife Linda, and David Fuller Sr. and his wife Claudia. He is also survived by many great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, brother Robert Fuller, son Scott Fuller, nephew Chris Fuller, grandson Shane Gauvin, and granddaughter Amanda Oyola.
In lieu of immediate services, friends and family will be invited to a celebration of life in Bill's honor at a later date.
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