With degrees in economics and law, Fuller was a self-made millionaire — and, by age 29, completely dissatisfied with how his life was going. He quit his business and law practice to live on a farm in Georgia, and then did missionary work in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo).
Upon returning to the United States, he and his wife decided to build houses for low-income families. Over time, the resulting organization became known as Habitat for Humanity International, which has built more than 300,000 homes in over 100 countries. “He was an inspiration to me, other members of our family, and an untold number of volunteers who worked side by side under his leadership,” said former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who personally worked on several Habitat homes alongside other volunteers.
Fuller was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Bill Clinton in 1996. He died February 3 in an ambulance on the way to the hospital complaining of head and chest pain — probably from an aneurysm, his brother said. He was 74.