M. Marta Moreno Fuller, 87, of Bellingham passed away Sunday, July 28th 2013. Surrounded by her loved ones; Marta went home to the Lord after her second battle with ovarian cancer.
She was born April 4, 1926 in Morenci, Arizona (a copper mining town) to parents Cruz Anzurez (mother) and Adelaido Moreno (father). The family, devout Christians of Mexican descent and fluent in Spanish, later moved to Flagstaff, AZ where Marta spent most of her childhood. The family purchased a home there and held Sunday services at their house until the Spanish speaking church was built. Marta had many happy memories of services, singing, and family events in Flagstaff.
In the summer of 1943 the family moved to San Diego, CA. She completed high school at Sweetwater Union in National City – Class of 1945. Marta then moved to San Pedro, CA to be with her widowed elder sister. Marta was an active supporter and participant in the Youth Group of El Siloe Presbyterian Church in East Los Angeles. She worked as a sales clerk at Sears, then as a Title and Tax abstracter at Land Title Ins. Co. and then Pacific Coast Title Ins. Co. in Los Angeles. She attended evening classes at East Los Angeles Junior College.
On a blind date in mid-1952, she met John Fuller. A member of the Army III Corps stationed at Ft. MacArthur in San Pedro, CA. John was reassigned to Ft. Richardson, AK and corresponded with Marta when he proposed marriage. She said yes and John returned to Los Angeles to marry Marta on May 9, 1953.
The newlyweds lived in Alaska until March 1954; when they embarked on a road trek: east to Ft. Meade, Maryland for John’s discharge and then proceeded west to San Diego where they set up house and began their family with the first two children John and Michael. The family then moved to Los Angeles where five other children Marta Diane, Denise, Timothy, Sophia, and Andy were born. Then they had finally settled in Granada Hills, San Fernando Valley where Marta was active in church, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and social improvement programs for the community.
However, in 1967 the State of California bought their property to build a freeway. They packed all of their belongings and with their seven children moved north to Everson, Washington. John worked for Intalco and Marta kept house; both maintaining a 10 acre Charolais Ranch. The ranch spread to become 37 acres, in which all of their children participated by being members of 4-H and FFA. Marta volunteered at Nooksack Valley School District serving on the Parent Committee for Title IV, tutoring individual students, working with the bilingual population, and teaching beginning Spanish in a private school. She also assisted with the 4-H Valley Vaqueros, grew and sold blueberries and enjoyed cooking and canning. John and Marta were members of the Everson Presbyterian Church and were active serving in the church for over 30 years. Marta sang in the choir, taught Sunday school, and participated in the United Presbyterian Women’s Association.
In 1986 John retired from Intalco. Not satisfied with idle hands, the couple volunteered for the Peace Corps, spending two years in Tunisia and also vacationing in Italy, Switzerland, Greece, and Turkey. In the Peace Corp, Marta taught new skills to women – creating a women’s organization to improve their pay and lifestyle. These Tunisian women created and sold handmade flowers, hoping to create a sustainable income. The couple was ready to file for a third year in Tunisia, however; John’s motorbike accident and a political uprising in Libya and Algeria were events that persuaded them to return home to Everson, WA. Back in the states, the couple continued to stay active in the community. Unfortunately, John’s health began failing. Marta cared for John until 2000, when her beloved husband passed away. Marta, now widowed, maintained their farm until April of 2006. Marta sold it and moved to Birchwood Condominiums in Bellingham WA. She enjoyed visits with neighbors and her children and traveled to Mexico, Hawaii, Canada, Arizona, Wyoming, and California.
Marta was diagnosed (January, 2011) with 4th stage ovarian cancer and went through a year of chemo and surgery and was declared in remission. With this declaration, Marta went to reside with her daughter Sophia Baker at Marblemount, WA. However on the 12th of July 2013 she was diagnosed again and had begun preparation to meet the Lord.
Marta was a woman of great faith, a loving wife, mother and grandmother, and a faithful servant of the Lord. She was always kind and saw the best in people. She enjoyed working with children, singing, playing the piano, drawing, water aerobics, and walking.
Marta was preceded in death by her husband John after 47 years of marriage. She is survived by one sister Alysia Agnew (Tom) of San Diego, California. Children; John Fuller (Sue) of Tucson, Arizona, Mike Fuller (Helen) of Bear River, Wyoming, Marta Diane Fuller-Sullivan (Mike) of Covington, Washington, Denise Mimura (Andrew) of Seattle, Washington; Sophia Baker (John) of Marblemount, Washington; Tim Fuller of Marana, Arizona, and Andy Fuller (Janet) of Bowen Island, Vancouver B.C. Canada; her grandchildren, Carissa and Joshua Fuller, Everett and Tabitha Sullivan, Jon and Jazmin Mimura, Benjamin Fuller, and Jill, Tessa, and Cheri Baker, seven great grandchildren, and numerous cousins and multitudes of friends.
Bellingham Memorial Services will be held Sunday, August 4, at 2 p.m. in Birchwood Presbyterian Church, 400 Meadowbrook Court, Bellingham, Washington 98226.
Memorials are suggested to Birchwood Presbyterian Church building fund or the Missions fund.
Special thanks to Hospice of the Northwest for their gentle and caring service and readiness to assist at any time day or night.