Dorothy Pulliam (Pulliam) Thurmond

Dorothy Pulliam Thurmond, age 96, passed away on October 19, 2023 with her loving family by her side. Dorothy was born in Elberton, Georgia to the late William Robert Pulliam and the late Lillian Hewell Pulliam.

Dorothy was the sixth of seven children who grew up off Moreland Avenue in East Atlanta. She graduated from Girls High School in Atlanta after which she worked for First National Bank until she married the love of her life, Robert Hugh Thurmond. They moved to Memphis, Tennessee where she worked in collections for Sears while Robert was in optometry school. After he completed school, they moved back to Atlanta. In 1952, they moved to East Point, Georgia, where they lived until 1980, moving to Rabun Gap, Georgia.

Dorothy was a member of Wolffork Baptist Church in Rabun Gap, Georgia. She was also a member of the local gardening club. Dorothy enjoyed crafts and loved playing Bridge just as she loved playing many other card games. She also found joy in fishing, but nothing could compare to the joy of her children and grandchildren, who were most important of all.

In addition to her parents, Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Hugh Thurmond, siblings, William Robert Pulliam Jr., Benjamin Pulliam, Ralph Pulliam, Lucy Emma Mize, Lillian Julia Hildebrand, and LouVeen Jones.

Dorothy is survived by her children, Linda Thurmond Keelan (Michael Vaughan) and Stephen Robert Thurmond, grandchildren, Leah Thurmond Smith (Paul) and Brendan Hugh Keelan (Cara), and great-grandchildren, Sophie Gwen Smith and William Holton Hugh Keelan.

Visitation will be held 1:00pm-2:00pm Sunday, October 22, 2023 at Beck Funeral Home in Clayton, Georgia with a Funeral Service following at 2:00pm in the Beck Funeral Home Chapel with Don Barber speaking. Interment will follow at Wolffork Baptist Cemetery in Rabun Gap, Georgia.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Shiners Hospital at donate.lovetotherescue.org/give or mailed to Shriners Hospitals for Children, PO Box 947765, Atlanta, GA 30394.

Beck Funeral Home, in Clayton, Georgia, is in charge of the arrangements and is honored to serve the family of Dorothy Pulliam Thurmond. If there are any questions, please call (706) 782-9599. An online Memorial Register Book is available at www.beckfuneralhome.com.

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