Mary Anne Elkins Pullen

Mary Anne Elkins Pullen passed away at the home of her daughter, Susan Shafer, in Mexia, Texas, on January 23, 2022, at the age of 91. Visitation will take place Friday, January 28, from 5:00 to 7:00 at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home, with the funeral service at 1:00 pm Saturday, January 29, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey. Burial will follow at Oakwood Cemetery. J.P. Shafer will be the officiant, with additional words from Mary Anne’s nephew, Bryon Alexander, of Lampasas. Mary Anne was born on November 9, 1930, in Houston, Texas, to Charles Earl (C.E.) and Louise (Boehme) Elkins, Wacoans who soon returned the family to Waco when Mary Anne was only a few months old. Mary Anne attended Mrs. Duncan’s School for Childhood Education, Sanger Avenue Elementary, and West Junior High, and graduated from Waco High in 1948. She attended TCU that fall but returned to Waco after her freshman year following the untimely death of her father. After her father’s passing, she attended 4-C Business College. Upon her graduation, she obtained a position with McLennan County in the office of Mr. Manton Hannah, then the County Engineer. There she met Peyton H. “Pete” Pullen, who was at the time the Assistant County Engineer. After a brief courtship, they were married on December 22, 1951. Mary Anne and Pete built a happy, productive life together, and shared a wonderful, Christ-centered marriage until Pete’s death on July 4, 1996. They had three children, David Alan Pullen, Leslie Luann Morris, and Susan Lea Shafer. Pete followed Mr. Hannah as County Engineer before completing his professional career at the Brazos River Authority, and retired from the Army Reserves after completing active duty in World War II. Mary Anne kept the home and family running and was active in church activities, PTA, and Blue Birds/Camp Fire Girls. She enjoyed hosting family gatherings and was happiest when the whole family was in the house. Mary Anne was reared in Central Christian Church and maintained lifelong friendships with many of her childhood friends from Central. She and Pete were active members of Columbus Avenue Church of Christ, and later at Lake Shore Church of Christ and Crestview Church of Christ, returning to Lake Shore after Pete’s death. She remained active there until her health declined. Mary Anne loved to travel, and treasured trips to the beach with her children and grandchildren. She loved cruises, traveled extensively with Pete, and with friends and family after his death. Many of her happiest memories were of RV’ing with Pete, traveling to the South Pacific with him, and attending bluegrass festivals, both with Pete and later to enjoy the performances of J.P. She was preceded in death by her parents; her older brother, Thomas Earl Elkins; a brother, Charles Elkins, who died in infancy prior to Mary Anne’s birth; her aunts, Georgia Elkins and Carrie Pedigo, as well as her beloved Pete and her much adored son, David. She leaves behind to cherish her memory her older daughter, Leslie Morris and husband, Louis, of North Richland Hills; her daughter, Susan Shafer and husband, John, and their children, John Peyton (J.P.) Shafer and wife, Julia, of Louisville, Kentucky, Petty Officer Second Class (U.S. Navy) Cooper Shafer of Atsugi, Japan, and Lucy Freeman and husband, Walker, of Waco, Texas, who are expecting another of Mary Anne’s great-grandchildren in June. Also left to cherish her memory are David’s children, Petty Officer First Class Matthew Pullen (U.S. Coast Guard) of Virginia Beach, Virginia, his wife Katie, and their four children, Peyton, Oliver, Max and Cameron; David’s daughter Katie Pullen, of Denton, as well as their mother, Debby Burns, of Denton; Mary Anne’s two nieces, Nancy Cameron of Hot Springs, Arkansas, and Mary Jane Wessels and husband, Hank of Austin; and other nieces and nephews whom she loved and enjoyed. Pallbearers are Byron Alexander, J.P. Shafer, Cooper Shafer, Walker Freeman, John Shafer, and Louis Morris. Although we miss her dearly, we have comfort in knowing that she is reunited with Pete, David, her parents and brothers, and other family and friends who went before her. She firmly believed in and trusted God’s Word, and lived a full, productive, and happy life. She was thoughtful and generous and a terrific hostess for family events, and she loved and was loved very dearly. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” (II Timothy 4:7-8 ESV). The family invites you to leave a message or memory on our “Tribute Wall” at www.WHBfamily.com.