Erza L Pulliam

Erza L. Pulliam was born on November 24, 1923 in Mannford, Oklahoma. He was the son of Lem Pulliam and Sylvia Opal (Goodman Pulliam). Erza was raised and attended school in Mannford, graduating from Mannford High School in 1942. Erza served as a Corporal in the United States Army, serving in Company C, 6th Engineer Battalion in the Korean War and was honorably discharged on February 9, 1947. After his honorable discharge, Erza returned to Mannford, Oklahoma and was later married to Mattie Tisher on November 24, 1948 at the Pawnee County Court House by Judge Orrin Palmer. The couple made their initial home in Mannford and had two daughters, Vicki and Edy. In 1951, Erza became a member of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices, Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 430 as an apprentice. Through his training and accomplishments, Erza became a journeyman pipefitter and has been a member of Local 430 for nearly sixty-years. Erza believed in God and that Jesus was his personal savior but kept his faith and beliefs relatively private. For many years he attended both the First Baptist Church and the Western Heights Baptist Church. He was described by his family as a man who was his own person and extremely honest. He enjoyed squirrel hunting, fishing and watching Saint Louis Cardinal Baseball games. His passion for baseball began at an early age in little league and continued throughout his life as he played in school and then later in the military. After that he also played on town leagues for many years. He was always available to assist his neighbors in any manner that he could. He loved the beauty of nature and watching birds. In addition, Erza enjoyed attending Bluegrass Festivals; His favorite music was bluegrass and gospel music; and eating chocolate! Lately his favorite pastime has been watching his great-granddaughter Nanda learn to walk, talk and to say PaPa. He was extremely proud of his family and that he had good health throughout his life. He was very proud of his grandsons, Travis and Spencer. Erza passed from this life at his home in Cleveland on Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at the age of eighty-seven. He was preceded in death by his father, Lem Pulliam; his mother, Opal Pulliam; and two sisters, Loeta Reed and Maxine Robbins. He is survived by his wife of sixty-two years, Mattie Pulliam of the home in Cleveland, Oklahoma; daughter, Vicki Pulliam of Cleveland, Oklahoma; daughter Edy and son-in-law Kent Cooper of Cleveland, Oklahoma; two grandsons and their wives, Travis and Lenee Condray and Spencer and Carla Condray; great-granddaughter, Fernanda Alexa Condray; brother, Melvin E. Pulliam of Mannford, Oklahoma; and a sister, Faye McGee of Paris, Texas; and a ìspecial daughterî, Gwen Moore of Barnsville, Georgia. A memorial service will be held at 10:00 am, Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at the Chapel of the Chapman-Black Funeral Home. The family suggests donations to Sojourn Care Hospice, 3410 Evans Road, Mannford, Oklahoma 74044 or the Cleveland Portable Meals Program. Friends may share a memory with the family online at www.chapman-black.com