Wynolia Watkins Pulliam

Wynolia Reynor Watkins Pulliam was born in Blanch, Caswell County, North Carolina 1/20/1923 and died on 9/11/2017 at her son’s home in Davidsonville, Md. after having lived with his family for the final 3 years of her illustrious life. She was predeceased by her six brothers, Henry, Robert, Wendell, Rudolph, Kenneth and Warren (Adopted), and by her husband of 54 years, Al Pulliam, Jr, on March 21, 2005. She has 4 surviving sisters, Lt. Col. Aquilla W. Stanfield, Iris Rogers, Geraldine Macklin, Ella Orinda Daughtry, two children, Allisine Jones, a retired NYC teacher, a son, Clifford E. Pulliam, an attorney and film director, her daughter in law Jeaunice Pulliam, who helped to care for her and two grandchildren Marcus Blue and Coltrane Pulliam and a host of loving nieces and nephews. Mrs. Pulliam, a lifelong educator, started her education at Caswell County Training School in Yanceyville, North Carolina. From there she got her B.S. Degree in Education at Teacher’s College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina (now Winston Salem State University) in 1944. She taught in Person County, N.C., then continued her education in New York, where she earned her Masters Degree in Education from New York University in 1956 and then Postgraduate studies in Administration and Supervision at St. John’s University Jamaica N.Y. 1969-1970. Mrs. Pulliam used her advanced educational degree and started teaching at P.S. 292 in Brooklyn during the years 1956 - 1960. She started teaching gifted children at PS 118 in Queens which was within walking distance to her house in Hollis. She taught there from 1960-1969 then she became Assistant Principal there from 1970-1972. Mrs. Pulliam remained in contact with a number of her former 5th grade students, now in their late 50’s, on Facebook until her death. Mrs. Pulliam left P.S.118 in 1972 to be the Principal at PS 57 in East Harlem, from June 1972 - July 1986. Mrs. Pulliam drastically improved reading scores at P.S. 57, transforming the school into a worldwide model for teaching techniques, including the use of the school’s public address system for school-wide reading lessons. Educators from Japan and other foreign countries toured P.S. 57 during Mrs. Pulliam’s tenure. While resistant to her at first, the majority Latino parents in neighborhood became fiercely protective of Mrs. Pulliam as their children became very loyal to her.  Nearby residents went so far as to keep watch to ensure that Mrs. Pulliam's beautiful new 1980 Lincoln Continental Mark VI automobile with the rust and gold two tone paint job and spoke wheel covers was never touched as it was parked on busy E. 115th street in front of her school every day for 14 years. To the local street derelicts eyeing her car, neighbors would often be heard to yell from their windows "Ni Siquiera intente!!" ("Don't even try")During her summers, after retiring from the school system, she became an Adjunct Professor at Brooklyn College in 1967, and an Adjunct Professor at Queensborough Community College in the summer of 1970. She also tutored adults at York College, Jamaica, N.Y. Even with her busy schedule Mrs. Pulliam joined many organizations and did volunteer work. She has been a beloved member of Grace Episcopal Church since 1957. She served as a choir mother and was the first female warden and vestry member in the church’s history. She is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, NAACP, Grace Church Social Action Committee, Episcopal Church Women, Episcopal Charities Appeal, Director of Grace Episcopal Church Altar Guild, Director of Social Actions Tutorial Program and Co-Chairman of the AKA Day Care Board of Directors. She conducted workshops for addicts and their families from the drug rehabilitation center and conducted workshops on education for members of a storefront church. Mrs. Pulliam opened her home and swimming pool to host annual fundraisers for Episcopal Charities, hosted Afternoon with the Arts which was Social Action’s program to introduce community artists. She prepared and served food to the homeless in Grace Church’s shelter and she served as a Lay Pastor and an Usher. Mrs. Pulliam also opened her home for annual fundraising activities and splash parties for a number of other church organizations, raising thousands of dollars for Episcopal charities, Social Action Committee, for installing air conditioning in the church sanctuary, for which Mrs. Pulliam assisted in raising $36,000 as a Junior Warden. Mrs. Pulliam spearheaded the multi-million dollar construction of Grace Houses, an 80 unit HUD-subsidized senior disabled persons’ housing complex which was built adjacent to the church on church land. Serving as the first Chairman of the Board of the Grace Housing Development Corporation, Inc. Mrs. Pulliam was a fierce advocate for its residents, some of whom remained in contact with her until her death. We hope that Grace Houses will one day bear her name in recognition of her contributions. Mrs. Pulliam has also received many awards in her lifetime. One award was for Outstanding Professionalism, Support, and Dedicated Service from the Community Superintendent of District 4 in 1986. Outstanding and Dedicated Service from the Council of Supervision and Administrators in 1986. Mrs. Pulliam won an award for providing educational excellence from Community School Board 4 in 1986, Loyal and Dedicated service from Grace Episcopal Church in 1984. An Unsung Heroine Award for Outstanding Contribution to Urban Education from the Association for Study of Afro-American Life and History for Outstanding Contributions to Urban Education in 1983, The Bishop’s Cross for Distinguished Diocesan Service 1982, Certificate of Appreciation from the 62nd Overseas Educational Investigation Tour Party of Japan in 1977, Finally a Humanitarian Award for meritorious service from the National Association of Community Educators in 1977 and East Harlem Woman of the Year. On this day, the Pulliam family and their friends celebrate Wynolia Pulliam’s 94 years well lived.