Life Beyond Prostate Cancer Series

 “A Valentine Day love affair of marriage, a train and survivorship”

His college sweetheart bride, the roar of the “little engine that could” trekking through a lively animal kingdom and a life sustaining Valentine’s Day celebration.

Dr. Dennis Fuller, PhD., retired as a speech language pathologist in SLUCare's Department of Otolaryngology seven years ago. When he retired, his wife, Helen, his bride of 54 years, ordered him to do something useful.

“I had just retired, and I was getting on my wife’s nerves,” Dennis says, in his always jovial tone. “She wanted me out of the house.”

As a farm boy from rural Iowa, riding a tractor was second nature. So why not enjoy a hobby as the train conductor at the St. Louis Zoo, where he toots the whistle of the train cruising the tracks taking passengers of all ages on an urban safari.

Dennis and Helen met in 1965. Both attended Northeast Missouri State University, now Truman State University. “We met in English 101; she tutored me,” he says.

After graduation in August 1969, and during the height of the Vietnam War,  the Fullers spent the first three years apart as he served a tour of duty in Turkey as an army security agent. The Fullers have two children, son Andrew and daughter Kate, and grandson, Martin.

Dennis says the secret to the 54 years of marriage to Helen is simple—a lot of give and take. “You just have to say yes and your right sweetheart, honey,” he says with a chuckled.

And on this Valentine’s Day, Dennis, 75, will celebrate 16 years as a prostate cancer survivor. Dennis is also a proud member of The Empowerment Network and a personal friend of founder Mellve Shahid. Both survivors each year share their cancer anniversary date together. Dennis and Mellve are prostate cancer survivors from diverse backgrounds have forged an endearing relationship and partnership in fighting the disease.