Peter M. Pullen ’57

Peter M. Pullen ’57 of High Point, North Carolina, died on February 25 after a six-year fight with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Pete came to Dartmouth from the Gunnery School in Connecticut. While at Dartmouth he majored in history; was a member of Phi Gamma Delta, Kappa Phi Kappa and the Newman Club; and participated in football, baseball and track. As Larry Blades ’57 wrote, “Pete had the fastest fastball anyone never saw.” Charlie Sellman ’57 added, “He was never sure where his fastball was headed. One didn’t want to dig in too deep with Pete throwing batting practice.” Pete spent some time in the Army and then held several positions in sales in Connecticut; Buffalo, New York; and Winston-Salem, North Carolina. After retirement he worked on a golf course and then at Enterprise Rent-A-Car. He and his wife, Sue, loved traveling around North Carolina playing golf together. Even after he was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Pete continued his three-day-a-week 45-minute workouts at Gold’s Gym in High Point. Carrying his portable oxygen from the stationary bicycle to the resistance-weight machines, Pete was an inspiration to all as he worked out with only 35 percent lung capacity. In addition to his wife he is survived by six children, 20 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. “Based on a consensus of the ‘Gams’ and other college teammates,” Sellman reported that Pete, at about 6 feet, 5 inches, “was a big, gentle giant, a very laidback guy who had a joyous love of life and his buddies.” Bob Shirley ’57 added: “Mostly he was a Gam. Not a super student, not super suave, but a salt-of-the-earth type of guy.”