Richard C. "Dick" Fulford, 82, passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday, November 24, 2020.

He was born on December 28, 1937, to the late George Harold and Mable Fulford. Dick graduated from Boone High School in 1955, Florida Southern College in 1959, and received a master's degree from Washington University in St. Louis, MO. He met the love of his life, Sharon Anne Bowen, and they married on July 6, 1959.

Dick is survived by his wife, Sharon; three daughters, Karen Jarvis (John) of Gulf Breeze, Kathryn Brown (Lee) of Gulf Breeze, and Kimberly Holley of Niceville; nine grandchildren, Wade Brown (Melissa), Jase and Cole Brown, Kevin, Kelsey and Kale Jarvis, and Kristin, Peyton and Karman Holley; as well as two great-grandchildren, Bodie and Baylor Brown.

Dick and Shari moved their family to Gulf Breeze in 1970. Dick was the most loving, proud, and kind father to his family - they were the most important part of his life. Much of their personal history reflects time at church and school activities. Dick and Shari also enjoyed time away from home traveling the world sharing many good times with friends and family through the years.

Dick was a member of the Gulf Breeze Rotary Club beginning in 1974. He served as President of the club in 1992 and was later recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow. Dick was further honored by Rotary in 2005 as the recipient of the Combined Rotary Clubs of Pensacola's Ethics in Business Award; an honor befitting his personal and professional commitment to honesty and integrity. Dick served his church community as Chairman of the Gulf Breeze United Methodist Church Executive Committee in 2002 and 2004.

Dick readily demonstrated his belief in citizen involvement by serving on the Gulf Breeze City Council from 1977 to 1980. He also chaired the Board of Trustees for Pensacola Junior College from 1980 to 1983. Dick again served the City of Gulf Breeze on the City Council from 2007 to 2010.

Dick's career path through Baptist Health Care of Pensacola lead him to his legacy and a major turning point for the Greater Gulf Breeze community. He was appointed Administrator of the Gulf Breeze Hospital overseeing the planning, construction, and operations of the entire facility in 1983. The hospital opened its doors to an anticipating community in 1985 forever changing this bedroom community. During Dick's tenure as Administrator of Gulf Breeze Hospital, his passion for customer service and detail management fostered lasting physician relationships, nurtured a place of purpose for volunteerism, and cemented a culture of personalized professional service in healthcare.

Under Dick's guidance, Gulf Breeze Hospital raised the bar in patient satisfaction and held it higher than any other as the top ranking facility in a national database of hospitals of all sizes, across the United States of America. Gulf Breeze Hospital held that spotlight for seven consecutive years. Dick never claimed the accolades for himself but always attributed the hospital's success to the entire team.

Years of celebrations followed for Gulf Breeze Hospital individually and in joint recognition with Baptist Hospital as USA TODAY / MIT Quality Cup Award winner, Fortune Magazine's Top 100 Places to Work annually from 2002-2007; the pinnacle of prizes came in the form of the 2003 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, presented in Washington D.C. by President George W. Bush.

Dick led the Gulf Breeze Hospital team through 20 years of growth, accomplishment and glory, never forgetting or forsaking the priority of his team which was to serve the customers and community that supported them. His efforts were commemorated just prior to his retirement from Baptist Health Care at Gulf Breeze Hospital's 20 ^th anniversary celebration in June 2005. The hospital's newly constructed Medical Office Building was named in his honor. The building bears a bronze placard on which the following words are inscribed:

The Richard C. Fulford Medical Office Building

This building is named in honor of Richard C. "Dick" Fulford who devoted 38 years to the Baptist Health Care Corporation. His vision and leadership of Gulf Breeze Hospital from its inception in 1983 to his retirement in 2005 are remarkable testaments to customer service, team spirit, community mindedness and values-based principles. His guidance nurtured strong roots for this institution and inspired those in the health care industry to reach for a higher standard .

Buildings, plaques and notoriety aside, the true hallmark of a life well spent is the impact a man has on the lives of others, the inspiration he ignites, and the personal example he sets when actions speak far louder than words. This man showed us how to love, live and serve one another.

The family wishes to express their gratitude to the care givers from First Light Home Care, Home Instead Home Care and Vitas Hospice Care.

Memorial Service will be held 1:00pm Monday, November 30, 2020 at Gulf Breeze United Methodist Church.

Memorial gifts may be directed to Gulf Breeze Hospital Auxiliary, Gulf Breeze Rotary, or Gulf Breeze United Methodist Church.