OBITUARY
David Allen Fulghum, 81, died in San Angelo on December 10, 2025.
Born in Orange, CA on July 16, 1944 to William Henry Fulghum, Jr., and Georgia May Fulghum (née Bratton), David was the fourth of five brothers. He was raised in Texas and Kansas, graduating in 1962 from Tescott High School in Tescott, KS, where he played football and trained as a cadet in the Civil Air Patrol. Between the ages of seventeen and twenty-one, he served in the US Navy, working as an electrical engineer on naval aircraft. David’s interest in military aviation motivated his career and personal pursuits throughout his life.
An avid reader and writer, David began his career in journalism at the San Angelo Standard-Times while a student at Angelo State University. After graduation, he undertook postgraduate study in military history at Texas A&M and Georgetown University. He went on to establish an award-winning career as a journalist specializing in military aviation at the magazine “Aviation Week and Space Technology”, retiring in 2012.
While his work took him across the world, he made his home with his wife, Judy — a fellow Texan — in Alexandria, VA. In his free time, David enjoyed traveling, antiquing, gardening, and patronizing the many excellent restaurants in the Washington, D.C. area. Over the course of his life he also enjoyed the companionship of several beloved pets.
David is survived by his wife, Judy Fulghum (née Couch), their son, Allen Fulghum, and his brothers Don and Dan Fulghum. In keeping with his wishes, David was cremated and his family will scatter the ashes.
— From Shaffer Funeral Home
