Richard “Keith” Fuller
Richard “Keith” Fuller, a 1975 graduate of Nederland High School, passed away peacefully in Cameron, Texas on February 5, 2025, at the age of 67. He was born on February 27, 1957, in Port Arthur, Texas.
Keith was a standout runner at both Nederland High School and Lamar University where he was captain of the Cross Country and Track team under Coach Sonny Jolly. He graduated in 1980 with a dual major in chemistry and physics. An avid runner, in 1977 he was also one of the founding members of the Sea Rim Striders, a popular Golden Triangle running club.
Following his graduation from Lamar, Keith moved to Richland, Washington where he worked for many years as a chemist, breaking down radioactive waste from the D.O.D. Hanford Site, a decommissioned nuclear production complex that once produced the plutonium used in the first atomic bomb.
While in Washington, Keith continued to run with his racing exploits including winning the first ever Tri-Cities Marathon in 1980, as well as other races in the greater Richland area.
Keith also shared his passion for running with the community by assisting with the Cross Country and Track and Field coaching duties at Richland High School, even going on to coach and advise some athletes post-grad. Further, Keith served as the announcer for a number of years at Washington State High School Track and Field State Finals meets.
Following his retirement in 2012, he continued running, enjoying time with Zoey and his cats, and practicing Spanish.
Keith is survived by his mother, Dorothy Fuller, of Nederland; brother, Steve Fuller and wife, Stacy, of Port Neches; sister, Dena Fuller Bolton and husband, Cliff, of Houston; nieces, Ella Bolton, of Houston; Devin Fuller Little and Travis; Alexis Fuller, all of Beaumont; and Sarah Bolton, of Houston; nephew, Jack Tinsley; uncle, Leon Fuller and wife, Pam, of Austin; aunts, Sandra Fuller, of Austin, and Rosie Henderson, of Florida; cousins, Ramona Henderson; Lisa Henderson Melendez; Kylie Fuller Ray and husband, Austin; Kelly Fuller David and husband, Steve; Brooke Fuller Lowden and husband, Coy; and Travis Fuller; and fur babies, Zoey, Jingle Bell, and Ethel Marie.
He is preceded in death by his father, Olie Ray Fuller, and uncle, Wiley Fuller.
A gathering of Mr. Fuller’s family and friends will begin at 9:00 a.m., with his memorial service at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, February 13, 2025, at Broussard’s, 505 North 12th Street, Nederland. His cremation arrangements will be handled through Broussard’s Crematorium, Beaumont.
Video
Gathering of Family and Friends
Broussard’s Mortuary Nederland
- 505, North 12th Street, Nederland, Texas, 77627,
- February 13, 2025
- 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Memorial Service
Broussard’s Mortuary Nederland
- 505, North 12th Street, Nederland, Texas, 77627,
- February 13, 2025
- 10:00 am
I worked with Keith at Hanford. He was fun to work with, very smart. He had a nick name for most of us and they were very humorous and lightened the stressful work environment Always smiling, always easy to work with. You’ll be missed. RIP Bubba
Jerry
My sincere condolences to Keith’s family. I worked with Keith on the Hanford site for over 20 years. He always had a smile and was truly enjoyable to work with. We had great conversations, shared lots of laughs in our work group. He even helped my daughter with running and always asked about her soccer playing. My heart is saddened at the loss of my friend. Eternal rest grant unto Keith O’Lord and let your perpetual light shine on him.
My first memory of Keith came in my family’s kitchen in Nederland when I was 14 years old. Aspiring distance runner that I was, my dad was reading the morning paper and shared a story about an epic dual that had taken place the previous evening in the mile run at an area high school track meet between two standout runners, Nederland High School’s Keith Fuller and rival Port Neches-Groves’ Paul Falgout. The year was 1975.
The following year, courtesy of another top flite Nederland High runner, Joe Ortiz, I met and tagged along on runs with Joe, Keith and Paul. Add then Nederland resident Tom Roebuck, a local attorney, and the late Russell Deshotels, a former star runner at Bishop Byrne High School in Port Arthur, to the mix and you have the founders of today’s Sea Rim Striders.
Digressing a moment, while I wrote “tagged along on runs” above, it was more like hanging on for dear life. In fact, were it not for the fact I sometimes found myself muttering obscenities, which I was told were audible to the pack in front of me, there were times I thought they didn’t even know I had joined them for a run.
Flash forward to my senior year in high school, ’77 – ’78, and without my asking Keith loaned me his coveted collection of back issues of Track & Field News. Needless to say, a gesture like that coming from someone I admired told me I’d made the cut so to speak and that further fueled my desire to excel as a runner. That seemingly simple gesture is one I haven’t and won’t ever forget.
As Joe and other early Striders’ members Mikal Peveto and Kevin Landry indicated in their heartfelt comments on this page, our group shared a bond, or synergy if you will, that transcended our simply being running buddies.
My life is richer for having known all of the above fine fellows and I know it’s a cliche’ but I came to love Keith like a brother. On that note, there has never been a time in my life when I wasn’t in touch with him and during the many years I lived in California his annual pilgrimage to run the La Jolla Half Marathon was always a welcome visit.
During recent months, Keith and I were communicating often. I’m currently in northern New Mexico and he was slated to move back to Washington state later this month. We were planning to meet somewhere in this neck of the woods in a few weeks but…
Keith and I will meet again some day though. Until then, I plan on heeding some of his sage advice; namely, “You’ve got to take care of number one!”
I’ll do just that Keith but first things first; I know you relished “keeping a low profile” but we’re all here for you at this moment in time. After all, the reason we are is because you made a difference in our lives and for me, it was a big difference.
“Thank you and Godspeed Bubba…”…
It was a sad day when I heard from Dave Dial that Keith passed. I first met Keith way back in 1977 when I was just a kid. He was one of my first running inspirations. He was always so welcoming and encouraging to me and called me Kevlar. Pretty funny. I liked that one. I remember his MG Midget. He would give me driving lessons as he drove. Top down. He was definitely one of the good ones. You will be missed greatly Keith. My condolences to the Fuller family.
I remember Keith packing up his MG Midget in the back of a U Haul headed to Washington. I. miss my friend.
I grew up next door to the Fullers. I never knew Keith to not have a smile on his face. It was contagious. He was Wonderful.
Devastating news to hear of Keith’s passing. He was an influential part of my life in both high school & college. We spent countless hours on methodically paced training runs in Nederland & at Lamar, and I always enjoyed grabbing a beer & pizza with Keith & others. Keith taught me so much about discipline, goal-setting, teamwork & navigating life in general. My deepest sympathies to you Mrs. Fuller, Dena, Steve & family. Praying for you all.
I just found out of Keith’s passing. What a wonderful and caring friend he was. He will always be missed until we meet again on that track in heaven. I am in total shock that my friend is gone. We had some wonderful times in high school and he always pushed me to try harder. What a kind soul and and I guess God needed him. May he rest in peace and my sincere consolances to the family. REST IN PEACE MY BROTHER. I’ll join you soon……………Steve
This is a heart breaker, for sure. I loved this dude. Along with Dave Dial and Paul Falgout, Keith was a mentor and big brother figure in my formative teenage years. I used to drive him crazy with my incessant questions—he called me a “why bird” with my constant “why’s” after each sentence. I moved to the Pacific Northwest a few years after Keith and was able to visit him and run with him several times over the years, with the last being August, 2022. I wish I had reached out more. Great sense of humor, humble and simultaneously confident, and a man with a plan. He was taken too soon, but he made a lasting impression on me that I’ll take to my grave. My thoughts and prayers are with Dena, Mrs. Fuller & Keith’s entire family. Love and strength to you all, Mikal Peveto.
Godspeed Keith
Sorry for your loss. My deepest condolences. We were friends.