OBITUARY: Dr. Robert Pulliam

Dr. Robert Pulliam, son of past SIU president Roscoe Pulliam and Mabel Pulliam, and husband of Jean Ellen Pulliam passed away at his home on Thursday, April 10, 2014.

Dr. Pulliam was born in Makanda on June 25, 1924. He grew up in Harrisburg and Carbondale. He attended Southern Illinois University School and Southern Illinois University where was a member of Chi Delta Chi Fraternity. He earned both bachelors and masters degrees at SIU. Dr Pulliam also met his future wife, Jean Ellen Armentrout, from Benton at SIU and they were married in 1947

Dr. Pulliam was a former Air Force officer and served in World War II, Korea, Europe and Vietnam before retiring as a Lt. Col. in 1970. After retiring from the USAF, Dr. Pulliam completed his Ph.D. at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. and worked in the aerospace industry.

Dr. and Mrs. Pulliam retired to the Carbondale area in 1995 where Dr. Pulliam was active in the SIU Alumni Association, was on the board of the SIU Foundation and served as an Elder in the First Presbyterian Church.

Dr. Pulliam is survived by two of his siblings, Mary Watters and Wallace Pulliam, His wife, Jean Ellen; his six children, Nancy Weis, Mary Pulliam, Ann Johnson and Janet Read; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Interment will be a private service and a celebration of his life will be held on a date to be determined in late June. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, gifts be made to the Roscoe Pulliam Scholarship Fund at the SIU University Foundation.

Huffman-Harker-Walker Funeral Home is in charge of arrangement.