Lloyd FULFORD

To all who knew and loved our dad, please join us in a Celebration of Life. The Memorial will be Saturday, August 13th at 1pm at the Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center Auditorium, 16600 NE 80th, Redmond. Share some fish stories, and light refreshments with the family. Lloyd was born Sept. 7, 1923 and passed on Aug. 5, 2011. He is survived by his wife, Alma Fulford, and his sister, Lois Nelson. His children include Mark Fulford of Redmond, Deb Grove of Victor, ID and Karen Barnes of North Bend. Grandchildren include Phillip Grove of Whitefish, MT, Vanessa Fulford of Kirkland and Kelly Grove of Missoula, MT. A prominent Eastside businessman; Lloyd owned Door Distributors, Inc for over 38 years, and was helpful to many.

Remembrance donations may be made to the Seattle Children’s Hospital. Private family graveside services will be held at Tahoma National Cemetery.

http://www.seattlechildrens.org/ways-to-help/donate/

Lloyd was born September 7, 1923 in Ferndale, Washington to Pearl and Samuel Fulford, the third child and younger brother to Kay and Lois. The family ran a dairy farm and grew sugar beets and green beans.

Lloyd learned the value of a hard day’s work, rising at 6 to bring the cows in the barn for milking. After school, more farm chores awaited. He obtained a bicycle and let his sisters learn to ride also. During the depression the family moved to Seattle and lived in the University district near the current I-5. Lloyd graduated from Lincoln High School in 1941and started working for a grocer when the Army came calling.

Lloyd was sent to Manhattan at Kansas State. As the war ensued, he was a member of the 88th Division of the infantry and sent to Europe to fight in Czechoslovakia. After a short furlough home, he was called to join a troop ship traveling to Japan. The war ended before the ship arrived and he was on occupational duty in Japan until 1946 where a lifelong love of the card game of bridge was born.

He returned to complete his education at the University of Washington, majoring in Forestry. Lloyd also worked at the neighborhood Safeway, and met his future wife, Alma in the neighborhood. The couple married in Odessa, Washington on September 5th, 1948.

Lloyd began his career with Georgia Pacific Company as an outside salesman and started a family, living on the west side of Lake Sammamish. After being passed by for a promotion at GP, Dad was inspired and challenged to open a competing business. In February of 1964, Lloyd joined with partner Bill Varitz to open Door Distributors at 1052 6th Ave S. in Seattle, with 6000 square feet of warehouse and office. Over the years a Portland branch opened in December, 1969. Split off in 1976, with Spokane and Lacey warehouses added. The business grew to over 100 employees and moved to the Eastside in Kirkland and later Woodinville. All three children worked in the business at one time or another, nick-naming Dad the Human Calculator for his mathematical genius. Lloyd served on the Board of Directors for the National Sash and Door Jobbers Association for 6 years and enjoyed a national fellowship at yearly conventions.

The family moved to Redmond during his children’s teenage years. As Grandchildren appeared Dad would enjoy driving them around the 4 acres on his John Deere riding lawnmower. Dad’s chief source of recreation with Alma was the thousands of bridge games they played with various social groups during their marriage.

During his brief respite from running the business he enjoyed entertaining customers or employees on salmon fishing trips outside of Westport and llwaco, WA. He will be missed by all who knew him. His happiest moments were with his family and being home.