Charles C. Fuller

Charles C. Fuller, a skilled eye surgeon, adventurous outdoorsman, and devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, passed away on May 2, 2026. Born on September 20, 1938, in Peoria, Illinois, Charles lived a life defined by adventure, a steady hand, and a deep love for the southwest. Charles grew up in Dallas, Texas and later attended University of Missouri where he earned his medical degrees and most importantly, met his wife, Mary Edna Wheeler, who was attending nursing school. They were married in 1964 and lived a wonderful and full life together until Mary passed in November of 2024. Immediately after becoming a doctor, Charles was drafted and served as a Captain in the U.S. Army from 1969-1973. With his service behind him, in 1974, he and Mary opened his ophthalmology practice in Las Cruces, NM, where, for the beginning of his career, he was the only eye surgeon south of Albuquerque. Charles was a gifted and respected surgeon and when he was not in his office, in surgery at Memorial General Hospital, or on the golf course, he was out seeking adventure in the great Southwest. He truly loved his patients and the community and was well known as a story teller, guitarist, and great outdoorsman. Fridays usually found him on the golf course but he was happiest when backpacking through the Gila Wilderness of NM, shooting at the archery club, hunting or fishing. At home, he was equally industrious, going through a notable era of making his own wine. Later, with his Son, Steve, he loved mining for gold all over New Mexico, Colorado, and Alaska. A true highlight of his life was the time he spent with his wife, Mary, building a cabin by hand in Datil, New Mexico, where they lived for many years immediately following retirement. Together, the two of them spent weekends peeling the logs themselves and created an “off-the-grid” home that stood as a testament to their partnership of 60 years. Eventually, the remoteness of the cabin became a little much and they moved to a golf course retirement community south of Tucson, Az. Then came the call to be closer to family and especially the grandchildren, so Charles and Mary made a last big move from Arizona to Florida. Charles greatly loved to attend his granddaughter’s school and extracurricular events, including softball, music, and dance performances. After Mary passed, Charles moved into Waterman Village in Mount Dora where he engaged in a very active social life that included water volleyball, bridge, poker, happy hours at the bar, and monthly field trips. He was sincerely happy at Waterman and grateful to have found many new friends there. Music was a constant thread throughout his life; Charles was a talented guitarist who frequently played for his church and at local events. He transitioned effortlessly between classical guitar, flamenco, country & western, hymns, and pop music and played hours a day right to his very last. Charles is survived by his children, Rebecca Fuller, Steve Fuller, and Mary Beth Jones; and his three granddaughters, Hannah, Kara, and Grace. He will be remembered as a man who was always searching—for the next song to sing, gold in a stream, "color" in a wine glass, or the perfect view from a mountain trail.