James “Jim” Pulliam was born February 26, 1928 in Hannibal, Missouri, the son of the late Albert Franklin Pulliam and Wilma Eubank Sanderson Pulliam. Following graduation from Hannibal High School in 1946, he was enlisted in the United States Army and served in the occupation forces in Korea during 1947. He was recalled by the Army in September 1950 and served until being released in September 1951.
He attended the University of Missouri at Columbia and received a Bachelor and Master’s degree in Geology – graduating in 1954. In that same year he and Sandra June Chullino were married and moved west where he worked as a Petroleum Geologist for the Rocky Mountain Division of the Gulf Oil Company, living at Vernal, Utah; Flagstaff, Arizona; and Billings, Montana. In 1957, he joined Sun Oil Company in Jackson, Mississippi where he was Development Geologist and Assistant District Geologist.
While he and Sandra were in Jackson, three young men were murdered and buried outside of Philadelphia, MS., Freedom Riders traveled across the South, and most white churches refused to admit blacks to Sunday worship, but the doors of the Episcopal Churches in Mississippi remained open to all who came to worship. It was a time of rude awakening, and it was when he and Sandra and their family joined the Episcopal Church.
In 1967, Jim entered St. Luke’s Episcopal Seminary in Sewanee, Tennessee, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1971. His first assignment was St. John’s Episcopal Church in Aberdeen, Mississippi. While there he also served Episcopal Churches in Okolona and Amory, MS. From 1973 to 1978, he was rector of Calvary Episcopal Church in Cleveland, Mississippi, and also served the Episcopal Church in Rosedale, Mississippi. In 1978 he became Rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Warrensburg, Missouri, where he served until his retirement in January, 1994. Following retirement, he and Sandra had a close relationship with the Christ Episcopal Church in Lexington, Missouri, where Jim was an occasional celebrant and preacher. In addition, from approximately 1980 to 2015, he was an occasional celebrant and preacher at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Detour, Michigan, where he and his family spent many summer months at their cabin on Drummond Island, MI.
In both Mississippi and Missouri, he was involved in church summer camping programs, serving as director several times in both places. He was also involved in a summer day camping program in cooperation with several other churches in Warrensburg. During his time in Warrensburg he also helped Christ Church sponsor a (Hmong) refugee family from Laos.
His main interests in life were his wife Sandra, their family and extended family and friends, the Church, summers in Michigan, earth sciences, camping and traveling, music (a very eclectic listener), and in later years the identifying and photographing of Michigan wildflowers.
Jim is survived by his wife Sandra; children Greg (Lori), Kevin (Pat), Chris (Terri), Barry, John (Terri); 10 grandchildren Neely, Cameron, Sam, Rick, Kaz, Max, Zach, Nini, Addie, Inara; 7 great grandchildren Kai, Iona, Zadie, Connor, Adam, Rumi, and Lily.
The service will be 2 pm Saturday, Sept. 10 at Christ Episcopal Church. A gathering will follow at the Methodist church.
Jim has suggested that if you want to give a gift, please do not send flowers. Rather, in memory of your relationship with him, give to an organization of your choosing that helps the poor and those left out, or that is an advocate for justice for the vulnerable. And he requests that you give generously as this is the last shot he will have at you.
Published by Warrensburg Star Journal from Sep. 1 to Sep. 3, 2022.
34465541-95D0-45B0-BEEB-B9E0361A315ATo plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
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