Sammie Lee (Cecil) Fuller
Service: 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26, at First Christian Church, Harrison, with burial at Maplewood Cemetery; visitation from 1 to 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26, at the church, with arrangements by Holt Memorial Chapel.
Sammie Lee Cecil Fuller passed away at the North Arkansas Regional Medical Center in Harrison on Thursday, Feb. 22 (2018).
She was predeceased by her parents, Sam B. Cecil and Daisy Brasel Cecil; her husband, Debs Napoleon Fuller; her sisters, Lulu Marie Vowell and Mary Sue Moore; and her brother, James B. Cecil and his wife, Avonene.
Survivors include her daughter, Deborah Fuller Reeves and husband Ken, of Harrison; son, James Samuel (Bud) Fuller and Angie Elcan, of Hot Springs; four grandchildren, Jessica Reeves Vandervoort and husband Adam, of Stamford, Connecticut, Robin Reeves Seymore and husband Ben, of Harrison, Lauren Fuller Wright and husband Shawn, of Rogers, and Lane Fuller Coleman and husband Will, of Fayetteville; seven great-grandchildren; as well as beloved nieces, nephews and cousins.
As a young professional, she served as secretary to U.S. Congressman Brooks Hayes in Washington. After World War II, Sammie, along with her sisters, Sis and Sue, opened the Daisy Flower and Gift Shop named for their mother. Sammie later owned, expanded and operated the shop for over 25 years. She was a featured designer at the Missouri Florist Convention in Kansas City.
Sammie and Debs sold their respective businesses in 1970 in order to found Napoleon’s Interiors which became a mecca for the finest in home furnishings and design for 37 years.
Sammie was trusted, admired and beloved for her excellent taste and unbelievable work ethic. Debs worked by her side daily offering his expertise in his trusted installations and woodworking. Their love for children inspired a furniture line specifically for children, building camelback sofas and wing chairs. Many children “grew up” enjoying these chairs which, are still passed down from generation to generation.
Somehow during her 60 years working, she managed to be a renowned cook and the best mother and grandmother one could hope for. She was considered “my hero” by many of her friends, clients and co-workers. Upon retiring, Sammie sorely missed working and all the friends she made in her career.
Sammie was a lifelong member of First Christian Church having served as deaconess, choir director and chairman of numerous committees and projects. She served on the Claude Parrish Radiation Therapy Institute Board and was a member of cancer support group. At age 90, Sammie was asked to be the keynote speaker for the Heart Foundation of Northwest Arkansas held at the John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers.
Visitation will be at 1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26, at the First Christian Church in Harrison with the funeral service to follow at 2 p.m. Burial to follow at Maplewood Cemetery. Dr. David Artman will officiate.
Pallbearers include Bud Foley, Wyatt Foley, Jason Foley, Dennis Copeland, Jimmy Cecil and Sam Cecil. Honorary pallbearers are Ernie Young, George Holcomb, Don Milburn, Ronnie Ramsey, Bill Reeves, Fred Garry, Joe Nance, Calvin Czeshin, Frank Conner, Jeff Christenson, Chuck Speice and the Hearthstone Sunday School Class.
Memorials may be made to First Christian Church, 915 South Maple Street, Harrison, AR 72601; Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 26 Broadway, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10004 or online at jdrf.org.
The family would like to especially thank Jane and Jeff Christenson and Marcille and Jay Lawrence for being such good neighbors – in the true, old-fashioned sense of the word. And they would like to extend sincerest thanks to her friend and caretaker Nora Williams for her loving devotion to Sammie.
Condolences can be left online at www.holtchapel.com .
