Robert Lee Pulley was born in Marion on July 2, 1916 to John R. Pulley and Anna H. Lee. When the 1920 federal census was taken Robert’s family were living at 715 N. Harper St. in Marion. His 39-year-old father, John R., was working for the Weber Candy Company located at 107 W. Calvert Street. The family owned the home they lived in free of mortgage. Children in the home at the time were Virgil 11, Robert L. 3 and Charles M. aged 1.
By the time the 1930 census was taken, the family still lived in their home on Harper Street and valued it at $2,000 and Robert’s father had become president & manager of the Weber Candy Company. Those living in the home were his father John R. 49, mother Anna 46, Robert L. 13 and Maurice aged 11. The family owned a radio.
In 1933, Robert apparently took an interest in music while attending Marion Township High School since he was cited as taking second place playing sousaphone while participating in a district band concert. He graduated in the MTHS class of 1934 and was an active student serving as class president and participating in numerous clubs and activities.
Robert’s father, John R. Pulley, died at the age of 54 on January 23, 1935. When the 1940 census was taken, the family was still found living in their home at 715 N. Harper St., except Robert’s 51 year-old mother, Anna, was now head of household. Robert, who was then 23, was working as a bank clerk at the Bank of Marion. The family valued the home at $1,000. The only other person in the home was Robert’s 9 year-old sister Joan, who was in the 4th grade. The census recorded that Anna had an education level of 8th grade, while Robert had finished high school.
When Robert filled out his WWII Draft registration in 1940, he was 24 years old and engaged to Josephine Harris. Robert was working at the Bank of Marion and was physically described as 5’ 8”, 126 lbs., blue eyes, brown hair and a light complexion.
Robert enlisted in the U.S. Army on April 14, 1943 and served until his discharge on November 7, 1945 with a rank of Corporal.
On July 6, 1941, Robert married Josephine H. Harris, who at the time was living with her family at 208 W. Boulevard Street. Josephine was born in Creal Springs on May 11, 1915, the daughter of Dr. David H. Harris and Ruth Herrin. Her father had a doctor’s office at 1204 Public Square. The newly married couple occupied a house at 709 Circle Drive.
A 1947 Marion street directory indicated that the couple were living at 501 S. Buchanan and that Robert was employed as a manager of Southern Illinois Airways, Inc. and as an insurance agent. Southern Illinois Airways was located at the old Marion Municipal Airport on E. Main Street just past the Old Creal Road turnoff.
An article in the Marion Weekly Leader in 1944 indicated that Robert was in charge of a meeting held at the First Christion Church in Marion. The meeting featured Marion High School principal Allan Edwards. Edwards spoke to the group about how to curb juvenile delinquency by enforcing curfew and eliminating crime movies, comic books and magazines printing sex and hoodlum stories.
In the 1947 Marion city elections, Robert was elected as City Commissioner under Mayor Harry R. Rodd. He would go on to serve as the city Finance Commissioner until 1951.
An article was found in a 1950 Southern Illinoisan paper saying that Robert was serving on the Crab Orchard Rent Control Advisory Board which had formed up in 1948.
When the 1950 census was taken, Robert 33 and Josephine 34 had settled into their permanent home located at 206 N. Bentley Street. Robert was working his insurance agency located at 111 W. Main Street and noted that he had worked 48 hours out of the previous week. Those living in the home were daughter, Barbara J. 7 and John Robert aged 3. Also, living with the family were Josephine’s widowed mother, Ruth J. Harris aged 73 and Josephine’s single sister, Janice Harris aged 49.
Robert tried another bid to become elected as city commissioner in 1955 when he and James Whiting threw their hat in the ring, but lost.
According to his obit, Pulley retired in 1975 as an auditor for the Illinois Department of Transportation after 22 years of service.
Robert L. Pulley, 206 N. Bentley, passed away on June 14, 1982 at the Marion Memorial Hospital. He was a member of the Heyde-Pillow Post 1301, Veterans of Foreign Wars of Marion, Williamson Post 147 American Legion of Marion and the Buckeye Club of Marion. He served in the U.S. Army during WWII and was an elder of the First Christian Church of Marion for 25 years.
Survivors include his wife, one daughter Barbara Jo Mitchell of Bedford, Va.; two sons, John Robert Pulley of Decatur, Illinois and Richard Harris Pulley of Grand Rapids, Michigan; and seven grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, three infant sons and two brothers, Virgil E. and Maurice. Burial was in Rose Hill Cemetery.
Robert’s wife, Josephine, retired from the Community Savings Bank and also had worked at WGGH, Cline-Vick Drug Store, the Bank of Marion and C.I.P.S. Company. After the death of Robert, Josephine went to live with her daughter Barbara in Bedford, Virginia. She died there on January 13, 2008 in Bedford County Nursing Home.
She was survived by her daughter Barbara Jo Aud of Bedford, VA; sons, John R. Pulley and wife Delene of Decatur, Illinois and Richard H. Pulley of San Rafael, California.
Notes on Children:
Barbara Joan Pulley Aud, born May 18, 1942, married Larry Aud, died September 25, 2019 in Midlothian, Va.
Steven Pulley, born April 4, 1949, died the same day. Burial in Rose Hill Cemetery.
John Robert Pulley, born abt 1946, attended Marion High School, first married Patricia Watson from Johnston City, Illinois, September 1, 1968, later married Delene Marie Swan in 1990, lived in Decatur, Illinois.
Richard “Rick” Harris Pulley, born abt 1952, attended Marion High School and SIU, married Ellen Ramsey on September 29, 1973, worked as Park Director to Walt Disney World in Lake Beuna Vista, Florida.
Unnamed Pulley twins, born December 15, 1953 and died the same day, burial in Rose Hill.
(Sources: Federal census records, WWII Draft records, VA BIRLS Death records, Williamson County Marriage records, Marion Street Directories, Southern Illinoisan, Marion Weekly Leader, FindaGrave.com. Compiled by Sam Lattuca on 7/18/2024)