Susan Roberta Franklin Fulton, 69, passed away peacefully on October 20, 2018 after a long and courageous battle with a glioblastoma. She handled everyday with calmness, dignity, and grace that was uplifting to all those around her.
Susan was born on September 7, 1949 in Willmar, Minnesota. She grew up in Minneapolis, MN and graduated from Minnehaha Academy. After graduating from high school, she moved to Chicago and attended North Park College, where she graduated with a degree in education and business. Following college, Susan taught elementary school on the south side of Chicago to underprivileged youth. While she loved teaching, she decided to pursue law and received her J.D. from IIT-Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1979. In 1981, she was admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit and in 2003 to the U.S. District Court, Eastern, Western and Middle Districts of North Carolina.
Susan was a well-respected lawyer in Chapel Hill and a proud member and activist for the community. In 2000, she ran for Mayor of Chapel Hill and for many years attended town council meetings in addition to being on the Board of Chapel Hill’s Comprehensive Plan. Susan focused her practice on Family Law, working with clients to resolve conflict through Mediation, Collaborative Law, and Litigation. She was a faculty participant in 1999, 2000 and 2004 Mediation Forums at the University of North Carolina Law School and in 2003 established her own law practice, Franklin Law Center, PLLC with offices in Chapel Hill and Hillsborough.
Susan was devoted to her family, her friends and the Chapel Hill community. She is survived by her husband David G. Fulton of Chapel Hill, NC and her two children, Britta Fulton (Naumann) Idrees of Chicago, IL and David Franklin Fulton of Charleston, SC and her granddaughter Penelope Sophia Idrees. She is also survived by two older siblings, brother Don (Joan) Franklin of Pittsburgh, PA, and sister Judi Lifton of Cleveland, Ohio.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 10, 2018 at 2 p.m. at Bethlehem Covenant Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke.Checks should be made payable to Tisch Brain Tumor Center, DUMC, Box 3624, Durham, NC 27710. Donations may also be made to VNA of Ohio Hospice at 2500 East 22nd Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44115. Please designate that contribution is made in memory of Susan Franklin Fulton.
You are welcome to send condolences to her daughter via email: Britta.Idrees@gmail.com.
