Mary Fulton, Former New Haven Educator and Community Leader, Dies at 87

Mary Elizabeth Fulton, a longtime New Haven resident who dedicated her career to special education and served as a leader in multiple community organizations, died at age 87, according to her obituary.

Born on March 10, 1938, in Wilson, North Carolina, Fulton moved to New Haven as a teenager and graduated from Wilbur Cross High School in 1955, according to the obituary. During her time at Wilbur Cross, she played clarinet and participated in basketball and softball.

Fulton worked as a special education teacher with the New Haven Board of Education, where she spent her career serving students with special needs, the obituary states. Her commitment to education reflected her broader dedication to nurturing and supporting others throughout her life.

Beyond her professional work, Fulton maintained deep involvement in New Haven’s religious and civic communities. She served as Vice President of the Usher Board at Immanuel Baptist Church on Chapel Street, according to the obituary. Her organizational memberships included the Elks Club, Heroines of Pocahontas Temple #55, Eureka Chapter #3, OFS, and Jeroham Court #3, HOJ.

Fulton also participated actively in local senior programs, attending both the Dixwell/Newhallville Senior Center and the Atwater Senior Center, the obituary notes. These connections demonstrated her ongoing engagement with New Haven’s community life well into her later years.

The obituary describes Fulton as someone who “found joy in dance, family, worship, travel, and laughter.” Her family remembers her as “the embodiment of love in action” and “a giver—always ready to help, to share, and to pour into the people she cherished.”

After moving to New Haven, Fulton married Thomas Ford and raised five children: Darryl Ford, Bernie Ford, Tymus Ford, Thomasina Lewis, and Marcus Ford, who predeceased her, according to the obituary. Her family expanded to include 17 grandchildren, 43 great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren.

The obituary also notes that Fulton is survived by Ramona McCoy, described as her “bonus sister and best friend,” and was predeceased by Ernest Knox, whom she called “Sweet Pea.”

Fulton’s early years were spent in North Carolina, where she attended Sally Barber Elementary School and Charles H. Darden High School through 11th grade, serving as a majorette for three years, the obituary states. She was the only child of Ruby Morgan and Robert Coley.

Her family describes her legacy as one of strength and resilience that “has shaped generations.” The obituary states that “her presence remains in every lesson she taught, every memory she created, and every step we take.”

A celebration of Fulton’s life will take place Friday, March 6, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Immanuel Baptist Church, located at 1324 Chapel Street, according to the obituary. Visitation will run from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., followed by tributes from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Interment will follow at Hamden Plains Cemetery at 246 Circular Avenue in Hamden, the obituary states. The family has directed those wishing to leave messages of comfort to visit www.hkhfuneralservices.com.

Fulton’s death represents the loss of a longtime educator and community leader whose involvement spanned decades of service to New Haven’s educational system and civic organizations.