MURFREESBORO – Bruce R. Pulliam, 88, of the 500 block of Lakeview Drive, died Sunday, July 8, 2012 at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville.  Mr. Pulliam was born November 29, 1923, in Person County to Henry and Hassie Cox Pulliam.

In 1941 he graduated from Roxboro High School and served in the US Army from 1943 to 1945 in the Detachment Medical Department, 204th General Hospital.  Following his military service, Bruce graduated from Wake Forest University with a major in Social Studies.  He then received a Masters with a major in History and a minor in English from Western Carolina University.  He was Principal of High Plains School in Person County from 1949-51.  Following these years, he taught at the American School in the Philippines and Japan.  He then taught at Oak Ridge Academy (NC) and taught for five years at Fork Union Military Academy in Fork Union, Virginia.  He became affiliated with Methodist College (University) in Fayetteville in 1962, having served as the first Dean of Men and later Chairman of the Division of Social Studies.  In 1984 he was selected as Distinguished Professor of the Year by the Alumni Association of Methodist University.  Having completed 25 years of distinguished service at the Methodist University, he retired in Fayetteville.  In 1997, Bruce moved with his twin brother, Henry, to Murfreesboro.

He was an avid collector of North Carolina pottery and art and considered North Carolina native Reynolds Price as his favorite writer.  Bruce truly loved his birth state and as a staunch Republican relished a spirited political discussion.

A strong supporter of the Arts and Social Studies, Bruce served on various boards in the areas where he lived.  Mr. Pulliam was a member of the Board of the Fayetteville Museum of Art, a member of the Fayetteville Symphony, and a member of the Murfreesboro Historical Association.  He was also an active member of the Chowan University Board of Visitors as well as the Friends of Music, Friends of Whitaker Library and the Eubank Friends of Visual Arts.

His parents and his sister, Roxie Snead, preceded Bruce in death as well as his beloved twin brother, Henry, who died in 2007.

He is survived by his sister and brother-in-law, Mildred and S. T. Wrenn of Murfreesboro;  nephews, Jim Snead of Roxboro, Kevin Wrenn, Sr. of Ahoskie, Kenneth Wrenn of Greenville and Karl Wrenn of Mooresville. There is a host of great nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, July 15, 2012, at 4:00 p.m. at the Cedar Grove Friends Meeting, 303 Main Street, Woodland; Robert Gosney, Minister. Visitation will be held on Monday, July 16 at 10:00 a.m. at Brooks and White Funeral Home, 907 Durham Road, Roxboro, NC.  Graveside Rites will follow at 11:00 a.m. at Person Memorial Cemetery, 3250 Durham Road, Roxboro. Visitation at other times will be held at Mr. Pulliam’s home in Murfreesboro.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be contributed to the Bruce R. and Henry T. Pulliam Music Scholarship at Chowan University, One University Place, Murfreesboro, NC 27855 (Development Office) or the Bruce R. Pulliam Scholarship, Methodist University, 5400 Ramsey Street, Fayetteville, NC  28311 (Development Office), or to any charily of your choice.

Bridgers Funeral Home, Inc. in Conway is handling local arrangements and Brooks and White Funeral Home, Roxboro, is handling services in Roxboro.