Clifford Melvin Fulghum, Jr

Mr. Clifford Melvin Fulghum, Jr. age 77 passed away early Tuesday morning August 15, 2023. Funeral Services will be held in the chapel of Greg Hancock Funeral Chapel on Sunday, August 20, 2023 at 2 pm with the viewing at 1 pm.

A private burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Americus. 

Melvin was born April 1, 1946 in Sumter County, son of the late Clifford Melvin Fulghum, Sr. and Elsie Lee Cheek Fulghum.  He graduated from Union High School in Leslie, Georgia.  Melvin was always known as a hard-working individual making a stable career with Friedman’s Jewelers for many, many years.  He was recognized as a high-level gemologist which carried him through his later career of owning Fulghum’s Jewelry and Pawn in Americus, GA.  We know many people in Americus will miss him and his gift to make and repair jewelry.

Most of his hobbies were work related in his early days such as pawn brokering and auctions.  It was quite impressive to hear him bid call an auction.  Around 2013, he began to slow it down a bit by purchasing a farm for his wife, Sheila where they enjoyed watching the deer as much as hunting the deer.  Dad spent hours on his Kubota tractor preparing food plots and cleaning up the farm.  Even when the doctors would put him on restriction from activity, dad would be counting the days to get on that tractor to piddle and cut grass saying, I only have 6 more days and I can get on my tractor.

Melvin is survived by: Daughters:  Melanie Fulghum Bakkar (Mike) of Macon, Ga., Melissa Shealy of Albany, Ga., Deavie Tanner (Donald) of Jay, Fl., and Kristi Fulghum Graham of Dublin, Ga.

Grandchildren:  Michelle Allen, Erin Allen, Justin Brewer, Steven Avery, McKenzie Bakkar, Michael Bakkar, Hailey Avery, Miller Bakkar, Faith Graham, John Shealy, Justin Shealy and Matt Shealy

Great-Grandchildren:  Calvin Hall, Brayden Hall, Liam Avery, Adalynn Raben

Brother:  John Stephen Fulghum (Cheryl) and sister Lila Wynelle Chase

He is preceded in death by the love of his life, Sheila Ann Tucker Fulghum.  They were married for 33 years until her passing July 14, 2022 and his brother, Joseph Lee Fulghum.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Heart Association, a charity known for fighting heart disease or donate blood to the American Red Cross.

Greg Hancock Funeral Chapel is in charge of these arrangements.