A HOUSE RESOLUTION honors the life and MEMORY of Representative James Spencer "Jim" Fulghum III, MD.
Whereas, James Spencer "Jim" Fulghum III, was born on April 29, 1944, to James Spencer Fulghum, Jr., and Margaret Ray Stanton Fulghum in Raleigh, North Carolina; and
Whereas, Jim Fulghum graduated from Needham B. Broughton High School, where he met his future wife, Mary Susan Kirk, and from North Carolina State University, where he majored in zoology; and
Whereas, Jim Fulghum and his wife attended medical school together at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and graduated in 1971; and
Whereas, Jim Fulghum completed an internship and residency in neurosurgery at Duke Medical Center, during which time he served as a member of the National Guard Reserves; and
Whereas, Jim Fulghum was a neurosurgeon for 35 years, practicing with the Raleigh Neurosurgical Clinic, Triangle Spine and Back Care Center, and Carolina Rehabilitation and Surgical Associates and, during the early 1980s, serving as Chief of Surgery at Wake Medical Center; and
Whereas, Jim Fulghum served his profession as a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the Royster Medical Society, the Raleigh Academy of Medicine, and the North Carolina Medical Society; and
Whereas, Jim Fulghum served his country as a member of the United States Army Reserves for 18 years, which included his service as an active duty field neurosurgeon in Saudi Arabia near the Iraqi border as part of Operation Desert Storm during the early 1990s, and retired from duty with the rank of Major; and
Whereas, Jim Fulghum served with honor and distinction in the House of Representatives during the 2013 General Assembly, where he focused on issues relating to healthcare and served on committees that included: Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services; Commerce and Job Development Subcommittee on Biotechnology and Healthcare; Health and Human Services; Regulatory Reform; and Insurance as vice‑chair; and
Whereas, in 2014, Jim Fulghum won his primary race for a seat in the North Carolina Senate but later withdrew from the campaign due to illness; and
Whereas, Jim Fulghum was a member of the Board of Visitors at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a supporter of the arts, especially the North Carolina Symphony, and a devoted member of the Edenton Street United Methodist Church for nearly 40 years; and
Whereas, during his free time, Jim Fulghum worked on his farm in Chatham County, where he raised chickens and produce and often held family gatherings; and
Whereas, Jim Fulghum died on July 19, 2014, at the age of 70; and
Whereas, Jim Fulghum leaves to mourn his loss, his wife of 47 years, Mary Susan Fulghum; his daughter Molly Fulghum Heintz and son‑in‑law Jens Holm and his daughter Emily Fulghum Roberson and son‑in‑law Dr. Patrick Roberson; his grandchildren, Margaret Josephine Roberson and Kirk Fulghum Holm; his sisters Peggy Fulghum Matthews, Mary Anne Fulghum Clovis, and Ruth Fulghum Olive; and
Whereas, with the untimely death of Jim Fulghum, his family, the General Assembly, Wake County, and the State of North Carolina have lost a good friend and colleague and an admired and respected man; Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
SECTION 1.  The House of Representatives honors the memory of Dr. James Spencer "Jim" Fulghum III and expresses its deep appreciation for the great service he rendered to his community, his State, and his country.
SECTION 2.  The House of Representatives extends its deepest sympathy to the family of Dr. James Spencer "Jim" Fulghum III for the loss of a beloved family member.
SECTION 3.  The Principal Clerk shall transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the family of Dr. James Spencer "Jim" Fulghum III.
SECTION 4.  This resolution is effective upon adoption.