Charlotte B. Fulbrook

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Charlotte B Fulbrook

Charlotte Fulbrook, 94, most recently of Towanda, PA and formerly of Nichols, NY and Sayre, PA passed away on February 1, 2023 at the Skilled Nursing Unit of Guthrie Towanda following a brief illness.

Charlotte was born to Katheryn (Cooke) and William Slim, and raised in Merchantville, NJ. During her high school years she worked at Aunt Charlotte’s Candy store (no relation) in Merchantville, and it is still there! She went to Drexel University, taking engineering and drafting courses, never finishing her degree. She worked in Philadelphia for a number of years, including as a switchboard operator, until marrying Walter Bussard, a Marine, in the late ‘40s. Walter and Charlotte had three children: Kathryn, Walter and Jesse. Charlotte’s first husband, Walter, died in 1954, and Charlotte moved to Clayton, NJ. Charlotte remarried in 1956 to Francis “Frank” Fulbrook and became the stepmom to two sons, Frank and Jim. Charlotte and Frank had two more children: Gerry and William.

Charlotte was an unusual lady for the times, despite being a full-time mom until her youngest was in kindergarten. She was very interested in how things worked and politics. She was a ham radio operator and built and maintained her own short-wave radios, and could fix most electronics using vacuum tubes. She had her commercial driver’s license for a time, and taught herself a lot about how cars run, not to mention she designed and built a fall-out shelter in the garage. While residing in NJ, she was a full-time mom and working/supporting Frank in his trucking business. She also became the head of the South Jersey Civil Defense association in the 1962. She enjoyed playing classical piano and the accordion, and played in an accordion band out of Wavery for years in the ‘60s and 70’s.

Frank and Charlotte moved briefly to PA in 1963, and then Nichols, NY in 1964. Charlotte became a draftsman for General Shelters in Sayre, PA. Charlotte loved being a draftsman. Eventually, Frank opened a Western Auto store in Nichols, and Charlotte managed the back office for the store. Charlotte was active in a variety of community and civic organizations in Nichols – Friends of Cady Library, Nichols Zoning Board, and Rebekahs (women’s auxiliary of the Order of Odd Fellows).

Charlotte and Frank operated the Nichols Western Auto and True Value until 1989. They continued to live in Nichols until 2009, when they moved to Sayre, PA. Charlotte loved science fiction and read voraciously, and thoroughly enjoyed sci-fi movies. She cherished her independence. She got her first computer at age 65 and embraced email and the internet.

Charlotte was predeceased by her husband Frank in 2011, and son Frank in 2013. She lived on her own until approximately 2018, when health challenges required that she have more assistance. She was able to have her own apartment for a while, and then spent time living alternately with both daughters until 2022.

Charlotte is survived by her brother, John Slim of GA and his wife, Ruth; her sister, Eleanor Blair of OH, and sister-in-law, Elizabeth Slim of PA. She is also survived by six of her children and their spouses: Kate Berger, Jim and Debbie Fulbrook, Walt and Anna Bussard, Jesse and Anne Bussard, Gerry Fulbrook and Bill Fulbrook. She loved and is survived by her eighteen grandchildren, and numerous great-grandchildren.

A period of visitation and time of share memories will be held on Saturday, April 29th from 11:30 – 12:30 pm at the Sutfin Funeral Chapel, 273 S. Main St., Nichols. A celebration of her life and memorial service will follow at 12:30 pm. A light luncheon will follow. Charlotte will be laid to rest at the convenience of the family in the Nichols Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family would welcome donations being made in Charlotte’s memory to:

Macular Degeneration Association | Research. Hope. Education. (macularhope.org)

Memories may be shared by visiting her guestbook at www.sutfinfunerlachapel.com