Rebecca Jean Pullis

Pullis, Rebecca (nee Shadwick), age 68, passed away on May 27, 2014. She was the beloved wife of Ralph Pullis for 36 years. Loving mother of John (Christa) Young, Matthew (Leslie) Young, and Jenny (Michael) Nosis. Cherished grandmother of Jordan Young, Zoey Young, John Nosis, Alexander Nosis, Isabella Young, Gabriella Young, Elizabeth Nosis, and Connor Young. Dear sister of Beth Lebeau and Bill Shadwick. Niece of Jean Butler. She is also survived by many loving cousins.

Rebecca enjoyed sewing and spending time with her beloved grandchildren.

Visitation will be Thursday from 3 – 9pm with a rosary at 7 pm at Resurrection Funeral Home: 40800 Hayes Rd, Clinton Twp, MI. Funeral mass will be Friday at 11:00 am with an instate time of 10:30 am at St. Paul of Tarsus Catholic Church: 41300 Romeo Plank Rd, Clinton Twp, MI.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Rebecca to the food pantry at St. Paul of Tarsus Catholic Church.

If anyone ever cared, really cared for someone else it would have to be Rebecca Jean Pullis. She was a warm hearted and well liked individual, and these wonderful traits came easily to her because she was such a sociable and amiable person, someone who was always making certain that those around her had whatever they needed. Rebecca was a talkative person who was tactful at all times but typically said what she meant.

Rebecca was born in Mt. Carmel Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. She was the daughter of Noby and Elizabeth Shadwick. Rebecca was raised in Livonia, Michigan. During her childhood she learned to be reliable and respectful. Rebecca was an obedient child who wanted to win the favor of others. She found it easy to show sympathy and to perform kind acts for others. These admirable qualities would become a part of Rebecca's personality throughout her life.

Though Rebecca was frequently the one to initiate games and activities with her family, she was also quite often the family member who took the role of referee. Rebecca was a peace-maker with an ability to resolve all sorts of family conflicts. In fact, Rebecca worked conscientiously to keep those typical family spats at bay. Rebecca was raised with three siblings. Rebecca had two sisters, Elizabeth and Michele and a brother William. Rebecca and her siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up, but they cared deeply for one another.

As someone who reveled in the sheer joy of her experiences, Rebecca was always enthusiastic about new adventures. Although she had an exacting nature, Rebecca was always tactful. One thing Rebecca will certainly be remembered for is that, when she got up in the mornings, she was ready and raring to go. As a young girl, Rebecca had a number of interests and was an active child. Rebecca took part in roller skating and swimming. She was also a Campfire Girl and a Brownie.

For Rebecca, the school routines were never a problem although she generally preferred variety to structure. She seemed to be able to start a project and work right through to its completion. And she was able to do it quickly and efficiently. Rebecca was also adept at details. Rebecca was very observant and was generally quick at picking up new things. She graduated from Denby High School, Detroit, Michigan in 1964. She enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was art.

College can be a challenge, but Rebecca appeared to be well equipped to succeed. She had a knack for staying focused and on track no matter what was going on around her. Rebecca had the ability to work undisturbed through all of the constant interruptions that are a regular part of college life. Rebecca enjoyed using the skills she'd already learned and applying them to new courses. She knew the facts and rarely made factual errors. Her favorite courses were computers.

There was one thing that all of Rebecca's friends knew and will still remember, and that is that she was a talker. She could pretty much talk to anybody about anything. This quality is one of the primary reasons that Rebecca was such a popular person throughout her life. But Rebecca was also dependable, loyal and trustworthy. Rebecca was the kind of person who simply radiated good fellowship. While she maintained personal standards and her own personal values, Rebecca was very accepting of others. With a distinct skill for working things out, Rebecca was often the person who would organize events. In fact, Rebecca was fairly comfortable playing the role of “host” for just about any occasion. When Rebecca made friends, she made true and lasting friendships. While growing up, some of her best friends were Ricky Goiht, Jan Mertz and Karen Goode. Later in life, she became friends with Jan Mertz and Beth Shadwick.

Rebecca was a faithful and loving person. Some would even call her sentimental and a romantic at heart. Her kindness and consideration radiated an aura of warmth to those around her. Rebecca cared for what others thought and carried that into her marriage. On August 25, 1977 Rebecca married Ralph Pullis at St. Raymond Church of Detroit, Michigan. Compassionate and devoted, Rebecca worked hard to make her new life partner happy.

Harmony was important to Rebecca and she made every effort to maintain it with her family. Rebecca was blessed with three children, two sons, John and Matthew and one daughter, Jenny. They were also blessed with eight grandchildren, Jordan, Zoey, John, Alexander, Isabella, Gabriella, Connor and Elizabeth. Rebecca was always conscious of the feelings others had. She was reasonable and understanding. As a result, Rebecca was quick to solve disputes and did so without much fuss. Her secret of success in this area was simple: Rebecca would listen before she would act.

Taking her work seriously came naturally to Rebecca, and she expected the same from those around her. Rebecca was a good team player, someone who was born to cooperate with others. She was what some would call a “people person” and it was demonstrated in her good communication skills. Rebecca was a steady worker, one who was realistic about schedules. The kind of details that would give family members and work colleagues fits were situations that Rebecca handled well. She could understand the details without getting lost in the broad “big picture.” Her primary occupation was customer service. She brought harmony to her work environment, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done, while always maintaining respect for her colleagues.

A methodical woman, Rebecca enjoyed spending time working on her various hobbies. She had no problem following all of the steps and instructions on a given project and was proud of the fact that she could have something to show for her efforts. Her favorite pursuits were sewing, reading and cooking.

Rebecca was one of those people who took pride in constantly putting forth her best effort. Nowhere was that more visible than in sports. Rebecca was always enthusiastic and a great team player. Rebecca also liked being a sports fan and enjoyed following her favorite teams whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were ice skating.

Her keen interest in things that affected the lives of other people led Rebecca to become actively involved in professional and community organizations. Because she was outgoing and worked well with others, Rebecca did her fair share of volunteer work. And she wouldn’t shy away from taking the lead on committees or events, either. She was a born list maker and was great at creating and sticking to schedules. Throughout her later years, Rebecca was an active member of the Christian Church.

Her high moral standards and traditional values served Rebecca well with her faith. Religion and faith were important to her. She was a member St. Paul of Tarsus for 30 years. During that time, she was devoted to Christian service. She was well respected because she was such an outgoing individual who sought to help in any manner she could.

Not only did Rebecca enjoy traveling, but she also seemed to enjoy planning all of those trips and vacations. She was a facilitator who could easily make up a near perfect schedule of all of the things to do and see. She rarely tired of going back and revisiting her favorite places. Favorite vacations included going to Higgins Lake and road trips to the Southern states.

Since it was easy for Rebecca to meet and get to know new people, she quickly made friends, even in retirement. Once she met those new friends, she loved sharing stories and talking about the good old days. Since she was practical and cost effective, Rebecca was ready when that day to retire finally came in 2007. In retirement, she found new pleasure in caring for her grandchildren. Even in retirement, Rebecca stayed in touch with her old friends and made plenty of new acquaintances. She was active in the community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities that retirement offered her.

Rebecca passed away on May 27, 2014 at in Clinton Township, Michigan. Rebecca fought a brave battle from heart disease. She is survived by her husband Ralph, Sisters Elizabeth and Michele and her brother William. She is also survived by her children John, Matthew, Jenny and her grandchildren Services were held at St. Paul of Tarsus Church.

Rebecca was a fantastic conversationalist who could engage just about anyone in a discussion. And whenever she said something, she meant it. Rebecca was a down to earth person, outgoing and gregarious. She was without question the type of person who enjoyed experiencing things first hand. She was practical and sensible, but what friends and family will remember her for most is the fact that she was so understanding and kind. Everyone whose life she touched will miss Rebecca Jean Pullis.