Head Custodian At North Campus Retires After 33 Years At MDC

Glen Fulton grew up in St. Louis, Missouri helping his mother—Mayola Fulton—raise his four siblings.

He cooked, cleaned and maintained the yard to ensure Mayola, a single mom, could rest after her daily shifts at the local paint factory.

 Those experiences taught him the importance of diligence and duty—core values Fulton has carried with him in the custodial services department at North Campus for 33 years.

“If you’re gonna do something, do it right,” said Fulton in his signature gravelly voice. “[My mother] taught me how to be humble and do the right thing. I didn’t really pay attention to [that] until I got a little older and I saw those were good values…when you put in effort and hard work, you get rewarded.”

On March 8, Fulton retired as head of custodial services, ending his three-decade long journey at North Campus.

Finding His Way

After graduating from Berkeley High School in 1980, Fulton started working for Sky Chefs, a company that provides food offered on airplanes. Seven years later, the then 27-year-old sought a change and moved to Miami.

That same year, he met the love of his life, Charlotte, who lived down the street from him in Carol City. They married the following year.

Fulton’s first job in the 305 was working as a fiberglass technician at Classic Motors. He was laid off twice because the company had financial issues.  

His mother-in-law, who worked as a public safety officer at North Campus, suggested he apply as part-time custodian. He began working at the College in 1991.

Two years later, Fulton became a full-time custodian cleaning classrooms and restrooms. Weeks into the assignment, he was promoted to lead custodian. 

“You can’t be in a classroom that’s dirty,” he said. “You’re gonna feel uncomfortable; you’re not gonna give your schoolwork all your attention because something else is on your mind.”

The following year, Fulton became supervisor of the moving crew/head of custodial services. His roles included setting up chairs, tables, podiums, rugs and stages for events. He oversaw approximately 35 people.

Fulton acknowledges the simplicity of his job, but he stresses the importance of doing it well. 

“You can get anybody to set up chairs and tables, but they’ve gotta be right,” he said.

The 62-year-old said Children’s Holiday at North Campus—an annual Christmas celebration for the community—was among the toughest events for him and his crew. 

They spend at least one week setting up tents, chairs, tables, trash cans, christmas trees and stages. 

Despite the tedious nature of the setup, Fulton said the event is the most rewarding.

“To see people happy, that’s beautiful,” he said. 

Aches And Pains

Due to the physicality of Fulton’s job he has battled a lot of aches and pains. He once pulled a muscle and strained his back, leaving him bed-ridden for three days. 

“Without your back, you can’t even poo-poo,” Fulton said. “You know that song that goes, ‘Your back bone’s connected to your neck bone?’ It’s so true. Without that back bone, you can’t walk, you can’t stand.”

Four years ago, a sharp pain in his stomach caused him to be hospitalized for four months.  

But the most painful challenge was the loss of his wife.

Charlotte, who served as a public safety officer at North Campus for more than 13 years, died in 2017 from Stage 2 lung cancer. Her passing forced him to give up his two American bulldogs, Bruno and Cane, because he couldn’t afford to care for them. 

Amid the grief, Fulton found solace in God and his coworkers, who were like “therapists” for him.

“You can’t scratch your heart, can you? Only God can mend that,” Fulton said. “God gave me the strength to move on. Some people go through those tragedies and before you know it they’re walking around talking to the sky.”

Fulton has always counted on the support of his adopted family. 

The team hosts barbecues that feature chicken wings, steak and ribs—infused with Fulton’s secret St. Louis-style sauce—while playing dominoes and listening to hip-hop, R&B and soul music. 

“We worked together for 30-something years; we can’t be nothing but close brothers, like family,” said Vincent White, a custodian at North Campus. “[He’s] my brother, just from another mother.”

Fulton’s Legacy

Through his strong character, work ethic and humorous nature, Fulton left an indelible mark on the lives of his co-workers. 

“He really doesn’t let anything get the best of him,” White said. “It’s sorta like when you change a tire, you’re always bound to have one screw that’s hard to come off, you know, you’re gonna have that one knucklehead screw that just wants to stay on, and he [was] determined to get it off even if it took all day and night. That’s what he did, that’s what he demonstrated.”

Raul Cruz, a custodian who has worked with Fulton for nearly two decades, remembers him for his good-natured pranks—like hiding under tables and popping up unexpectedly to scare the secretary—and his generosity. 

“If you [need] help in anything, like money or work, he’s the type of person that will give you the shirt off his back,” said Cruz, who frequently witnessed Fulton giving money to people who were “short on cash.”

During retirement, Fulton looks forward to putting his “stamp” on a house he recently purchased in St. Louis. 

He plans to renovate the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom and turn the basement into a mancave. Eventually, he also wants to launch an events rental business.

But above all, Fulton hopes to care for his 85-year-old mother, who he has visited annually since he left Missouri. 

“Whatever she wants to do,” Fulton said. “Doctor’s appointment? I’ll take you. Grocery store? I’ll take you. Just to sit and talk with her, I’ll be over that way.” 

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