Lynnell (Reynolds) Fulmer

Lynnell Reynolds Fulmer, 84, of Chula, Georgia, went home to Glory on February 24, 2021, surrounded by her family.

Lynnell was born on March 14, 1936 in Ocala, Florida, the daughter of Lindner and Kathryn Reynolds.  She was a multi-generational Florida native with a great-grandmother who came to central Florida in a wagon to homestead in the 1800s.  She lived most of her life in Georgia with many years in Albany as well as Chula.  She also resided in Tallahassee and Jacksonville.  She graduated from Ocala High School in 1954 where she played clarinet in the marching band and where she was an active member of the Thespian Club.  She attended Florida State University, majoring in English, where she was a proud sister of the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority.  While at Florida State, she met the love of her life, Riney Fulmer.  They were wed for 62 years before his sudden passing in April 2018.  She was a strong life partner for Riney’s work as an executive with State Farm.  She travelled extensively with him internationally, once noting that they had crossed the various oceans about two dozen times.  She enjoyed visiting Europe and Canada as well as the islands of Bermuda and Hawaii.

She was a charter member of the Auxiliary/Pink Ladies at Palmyra Hospital in Albany and was a member of the Junior Women’s Club in that city as well.  She was a member of the Jacksonville Beach Women’s Club. She was a charter member of the Suburban Women’s Club in Albany and taught Sunday School at Byne Memorial Baptist Church, including Children’s classes, Young Married Women’s class and the Married Couple’s class (which she and Riney taught together).  She taught Vacation Bible School regularly and was a member of, and hosted in her home, the weekly Ladies Bible Study Class, before it grew into a city-wide event.  As a young bride, she worked at Eastern Airlines.

In addition to her strong faith-based and community service, she was a homemaker, raising three children who survive her—Hal Fulmer (Judy) of Troy, Alabama; Kathy Beasley (John) of Auburn, Alabama; and Karen Kimsey of Chula, Georgia. She is also survived by granddaughter Katie Beasley of Auburn, grandson Joshua Kimsey of Chula and grandson Jonah Enfinger (Kayle) of Auburn. She was preceded in her passing by her husband Riney, her parents and her son, Forrest Rinehart.

She believed passionately in learning and was very proud that her family counted 21 degrees in higher education among them, including three doctoral degrees. She was a life-long avid reader and spent years in Albany recording books and daily newspapers for the National Library Service for the Blind. She loved to cook and generations of her family and friends were the recipients of her famous spaghetti suppers.  She loved to serve fresh-caught fried fish and her own recipe of hushpuppies.  She was compassionate and inclusive, a teacher, counselor, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend.

She enjoyed writing, public speaking, teaching, camping, cooking, and traveling and passed these loves on to her children and grandchildren.  She had a generous spirit working with the Bus Ministry for Children at Byne Memorial Baptist Church.  She and Riney supported the Baptist Student Union at then-Albany Junior College for many years.

In addition to loving her husband, children and grandchildren, she enjoyed raising multiple pets, especially generations of the family’s dogs.  She loved family genealogy and history.  She was a college football fan, always proud of her FSU Seminoles but faithful to all the schools that were connected to her children, including most of the Southeastern Conference as well as Troy University and Georgia Southern University.

The family will hold a private service to celebrate her life.  Friends are encouraged to consider a donation to one of Lynnell’s favorite charities:  the Florida Baptist Children’s Home, the Georgia Baptist Children’s Home, or the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind.

Albritton Funeral Directors is in charge of the arrangements.