*Stephen Ray Fuller, 71, of St. Cloud, Minn., passed away on Feb. 6, 2015 at Quiet Oaks Hospice in St. Augusta, Minn. after a battle with cancer.

Stephen was born in Terre Haute, Ind. to Mildred and Raymond Fuller ’30 in 1943. The family subsequently moved to San Bernadino, Calif., where Stephen graduated from San Bernadino High School in 1961. Stephen received his B.A. from St. Olaf College in 1965 and his M.M. and D.M.A. from the University of Southern California, where he was awarded a Jascha Heifetz Music Scholarship. He served in the U.S. Army in the 8th Field Hospital in Nha Trang, Vietnam.

Stephen was on the music faculty of St. Cloud State University (SCSU) from 1975-2010. During his tenure he was the Director of Choral Activities for 19 years and the Graduate Coordinator from 1999-2010. He taught courses in Choral Conducting, Music History, and Ethnomusicology, as well as supervised graduate research in choral music.

Stephen was a pianist and organist who performed a series of EAST MEETS WEST recitals premiering the works of Asian composers in Minnesota, Iowa, California, Hawaii, Texas, and England. He also did research on Japanese music that he regularly presented to the Japanese Studies Association.

Prior to teaching at SCSU, Stephen taught at the University of Hawaii – Hilo from 1968-1973, and was a Visiting Associate Professor of Choral Music at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa from 1983-85. He was the organist and choirmaster at several Lutheran churches in California, Hawaii, and Minnesota. Throughout his career he was a guest clinician at choral and musical festivals around the country. In recent years he served as substitute organist at Atonement and Bethlehem churches in St. Cloud.

Stephen is survived by his spouse, Ozzie Mayers; brothers, James and wife Marcia and Wayne Fuller ’67 and wife Alice; four children, David Fuller ’95 and wife Jenny Usselman Fuller ’95, Timothy and wife Harini, Sharon and husband Chris, and Christopher and wife Sarah; step-daughter, Mariana Leonard-Mayers and husband Thomas; and 13 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; former wife, Beverly Burnett Williams ’65; and step-child, Luc Leonard-Mayers.

In lieu of flowers, Stephen has asked that donations be sent to Atonement Lutheran Church, St. Cloud.