Andrea Fuller

Andrea Fuller

Jim's Best Friend

[Andrea Fuller passed away from stomach cancer on December 24, 2007 at 11:41am EST. She passed away at her home in Florida with her children by her side. Late in 2000 she was diagnosed with cancer, received some experimental treatments and was in remission for several years. She lived life to the fullest during the following years by traveling, visiting friends and family, taking dive trips with her grand children and being involved with her flower club. In time, more information will be added to this memorial. December 26, 2007]

Andrea, Jim Fuller's wife and best friend, is a very cheerful and positive person. I first met her in the mid seventies when she and her two daughters and son took scuba diving lessons from Jim at J. Rich Sports in Austin, Texas. "Andy," as Jim would sometimes refer to her, always would brighten up the dive shop when she would come walking in. Laughing, smiling, and exhibiting a friendliness that any southern belle would envy. She really made you feel great after chatting with her.

Andy became very proficient at scuba diving. She was always going out to Lake Travis to be around and help out with the dive classes. Jim and Andrea took their love for diving and traveled all over the Caribbean and Bahamas. Jim and Andrea would act as tour guides for Jim's dive-travel company, Sport Diver Tours. Andrea would participate in Jim's love of underwater photography by being the beautiful blue-eyed blonde underwater model in Jim's pictures. Underwater modeling is not an easy job. Andrea knew how to pose in the best angles, look toward the underwater strobe a certain way, and just how and when to exhale into her regulator so as not to have too many distracting air bubbles in the picture. Anyone that knows an avid underwater photographer, knows that getting the picture is all consuming. The underwater photographer's buddy has to be content in staying in a small area and really observing and hunting for photographic subjects within a short distance. The underwater photographer's buddy is the one that really watches over the photographer's safety, because the photographer is so engaged in what he is doing. Andrea did a good job of taking care of Jim's safety underwater.

Andrea is a very active person. While living in Austin, she started a small painting company called, "That Lady Paints!" She put the feminine touch on this painting firm by purchasing a pink van with the lettering "That Lady Paints" on it. Many a time I have been on the roads in Austin and seen this pretty lady drive past in her pink business van. Seeing her with the cute business slogan painted on the pink van brought a smile to my face. I would think to myself, "Well, there goes my friend. Business must be good!" At first, she was a one woman painting business doing all the work herself. As she built the business, she had to hire others to help with the work load. Before needing to move to Florida to help her parents, she was able to sell her painting company.

You would never know when you may meet Andrea, underwater, on the road or somewhere else. Just before she moved to Florida, I was in the produce section of Albertson's Grocery Store on Research Blvd. and Ohlen Road in Austin, Texas and saw her smiling face. We stood there and talked for at least 30 to 45 minutes catching up on old times, telling diver tales and talking about her future move to Florida. To this day when I am in Albertson's produce section, I think of the nice conversation I had with her that day.

While in Florida over the past decade, she has taken care of her parents and been active in plant and gardening groups. By loving the plant, she has become very appreciative of Mother Nature and become an ardent observer of various small creatures, plants, and clouds. This has carried over into her everyday selection of things good to eat.

Today, though her health is at a critical stage, she faces the future with one of positive thoughts and living life to the fullest. Jim's best friend, Andrea, is a very good friend to have. We all should be so fortunate as to have a friend like Andy.

Paul Johnston - June 18,2000

© Copyright - 2000 - Paul Johnston

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