Richard “Pete” William Pulliam

Mr. Richard “Pete” William Pulliam, 91, passed away peacefully on Thursday, May 4, 2023, at home with his family in Greensboro, NC. Born February 14, 1932, in Martinsville, Virginia, he was the eldest son of the late Richard Cameron and Pauline Haynes Pulliam. In addition to his parents, Mr. Pulliam was preceded in death by his brother, Frank Ray Pulliam. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Frances Ferguson Pulliam; children, Laura Pulliam Gregory and Richard William Pulliam, Jr (and wife Ania), his four grandchildren, Davis Austin Gregory, Peter Cameron Gregory, Eva May Pulliam and Richard Matthew “Maciek” Pulliam who will cherish their fond memories of “Papa”, his brothers John Pulliam and Steve Pulliam and sister Rosa Pulliam Barger. Pete’s kind heart, sharp wit, selfless nature and sense of humor will be remembered by everyone who knew him. Soon after graduating from Martinsville High School in 1950, Pete entered the United States Navy and served until 1956, rising to Petty Officer 3rd Class. After leaving the Service, Pete moved back to Virginia and received a degree in Business Administration and Accounting from National Business College in Roanoke. Pete and Frances married in 1959 and moved to Richmond, Virginia where Pete began his career as a CPA. They moved to Greensboro, NC in 1961 when he joined the accounting firm Rose & Breslow as a Partner. Leaning on his independent and entrepreneurial spirit, in 1968 he started his own accounting firm where he worked with clients across North Carolina, including in his beloved NC mountains. In 1988 his entrepreneurial spirit led him to launch O. Henry House, Ltd, a custom furniture manufacturing business with his wife Frances. He served as the Owner and CEO for 31 years and together they grew the company into a successful and well-respected venture nationwide. While running two businesses for much of the last 35 years, Pete still found time to share his gifts and serve the community around him. He was a member of the Jaycees and served as Treasurer. He served as Treasurer then President of Hound Ears Club in Banner Elk, served on the Board of Directors of the Alliance Mutual Insurance Company and was a past member of the Saint Andrews Society. Alongside all his business and community interests, Pete had great passion for his family and loved coaching his children’s youth sports teams, taking them skiing and hiking, and supporting all their activities, from tennis tournaments to dance recitals. One of his proudest moments was seeing the success of the travel soccer team he created, the 1973 Greensboro Kickers, win the NC State Cup in 1990 after 5 years together. While he grew up a Duke fan thanks to his favorite aunt, he embraced the UNC Tarheels when his daughter attended and never looked back. He loved watching (and coaching from the sofa) those UNC basketball games and attending football games. Pete was an excellent baseball player in his youth, and he never spent a day sitting still. He was very active throughout his life, playing tennis into his mid-80’s and skiing into his mid-70’s, and he dearly loved his Sherwood tennis men’s group. He was a voracious reader, especially of historical biographies. Pete left a legacy of working hard, staying physically and intellectually active, and loving his family. He gave all of himself to his life, and his boundless energy and love will remain imprinted on all he touched. We wish to express our sincere gratitude to the wonderful caregivers from Verra Springs at Abbotswood, the caregivers from Home Instead and Brightstar and the angels from Hospice. The incredible love and support shown to Pete by this team of amazing caregivers during this last year on his journey is something we will never forget but will always cherish. A memorial service will be held at 11:30 Friday, May 19th at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Greensboro. The family will receive friends after the service in the Haywood Duke Room. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation, www.parkinson.org or to the Parkinson Association of the Carolinas, www.parkinsonassociation.org. Hanes Lineberry North Elm Chapel is assisting the Pulliam family with arrangements. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.haneslineberryfhnorthelm.com for the Pulliam family.