Remembering Michael Fullerton, a longtime editor of Berkeley Co-op's weekly newspaper

"Best known as the longtime co-editor of the Co-op News, the weekly newspaper of the Berkeley Co-op, Michael Fullerton lived in Berkeley for more than 60 years and was active in the community and in electoral politics, as well as the cooperative movement. Michael died on Jan. 5, at age 85, from complications of cancer. He told his wife, Sandy, to be sure that his obituary included his work on Ron Dellums's first Congressional campaign in 1970, when Dellums ran on an anti-Vietnam war platform."

"Michael was born in 1940 in Grand Forks, North Dakota, where his parents, Bud (Reginald) and Cleo Fullerton had met in a university chemistry class. The family moved to Napa, then a small town, when Michael was 2 years old, and his father began work as a machinist in Vallejo in the war industry. Michael's two beloved sisters, Pat and Mary, were born when he was a teenager, and they remained close throughout his life."

"After graduating from Napa High as valedictorian, Michael went to Stanford on a full scholarship, majoring in philosophy. He credited two quarters spent abroad in the Stanford-in-France program as a life-changing experience, as he lived and traveled in Europe, which sparked his interest in politics and made him a lifelong progressive. When he returned through New York City, a woman on the subway complained about his France-acquired beard: Who do you think you are, Fidel Castro? That interchange made him decide to retain the beard."

Michael Fullerton lived in Berkeley for more than 60 years and served as longtime co-editor of the Co-op News. He was active in the cooperative movement, community affairs, and electoral politics. He died on Jan. 5 at age 85 from complications of cancer and asked that his obituary note his work on Ron Dellums's 1970 Congressional campaign. He was born in 1940 in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and moved with his family to Napa at age two. He graduated Napa High as valedictorian and attended Stanford on a full scholarship, majoring in philosophy. Two quarters in the Stanford-in-France program shaped his progressive politics. He completed pre-med requirements at UC Berkeley, entered medical school briefly, then switched to graduate philosophy and took part in the 1964 Free Speech Movement.

Read at www.berkeleyside.org