Francis Frank Wynn Pulattie

PULATTIE, FRANK Francis Frank Wynn Pulattie, 82 of Waco, was called home to be with his Lord Monday, Jan. 10, 2005. Services will be held at 10am Thursday, Jan. 13 at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Chapel with the Rev. Jim Chandler, the Rev. Jim Gray and the Rev. D. Michael Toby officiating. Burial will follow at 4pm Thursday at Colony Cemetery, Ranger, Texas. Visitation with the family will be from 5-7pm Wednesday, Jan. 12 at the funeral home. Mr. Pulattie was born July 4, 1922 in Healdton, Oklahoma to Lillian Pulattie Nunley and Ivan Nunley. His mother, after divorcing Nunley, regained her maiden name of Pulattie and changed her son’s name to Pulattie. He moved to Waco as a child and attended South Junior High where he was coached in football, which became his life’s love and profession, by Mr. Bill Barron. He attended Waco High School and played football under Mr. Paul Tyson where in 1939 he was named an All-State player. He then went to Kilgore Junior College and played football there until he returned to Waco High School and graduated in 1940. While in his last playing season at Waco High he played in the Texas High School Coaches All Star Game. After graduation he attended SMU on a football scholarship under Matty Bell. With the outbreak of WWII he enlisted in the Coast Guard and was appointed to the Coast Guard Academy. During his time in the Coast Guard he boxed in an exhibition event going two rounds with Jack Dempsey. Transferring from the Coast Guard to the Navy he entered Naval Aviation, studying preflight at Cal-Poly and later at the University of Iowa where he also ran track excelling in the obstacle course. He received an appointment to the Navy Academy but declined it in order to return to SMU, finish his college degree and play football. While at SMU he played as a blocking back for All-American Doak Walker who one said “I just run through the holes Pulattie opens up for me.” He was named Honorable Mention All-American in football, and earned his Bachelors degree and later his Master Degree from SMU. He played professional football for both the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Giants but knee injuries led him to leave professional football and begin a career coaching high school football. He began at Itasca where his team went 6-0 their first year. He later went to Riesel where his team won the Jinx Tucker Traveling Trophy, for the first time in the school history. Pulattie spent many years coaching football and track at various Texas schools including Big Spring where he established the tennis program. Other schools included Hamilton, Livingston, Ysleta El Paso and a year in California where he was voted Outstanding Coach in Northern California. Pulattie was one of the coaches highlighted in Ty Cashion’s book on football coaching giants, “Pigskin Pulpit”. In 2002 he was inducted into the Waco High School Hall of Fame. He served many years as high school principal, including China Spring. He retired in 1984 from a superintendency in Brewster County to return home to Waco. He became active in tennis both as a player and board member at the Charlie McCleery Tennis Center. He was a charter member of Central United Methodist Church where he served on the location and building committee and was a member of the pastoral advisory committee at one time. He also served at various times as Sunday school teacher, Pastor Parish Relations Committee member, Bible study leader and usher. He was baptized into the fellowship of Edgefield Baptist Church. He later was a member of First Baptist Church of Woodway. He attended Darrell Lanius’s Sunday School Class which was a favorite of his. During his years of coaching and teaching he was a positive influence and role model for hundreds of young people who came to know and love him and who continued to call, write and visit him after his retirement from the public schools. Survivors include his wife, the former Jo Ann Boyd, daughter, Pattie Jo Goff and husband, Larry of Denton; sons, Mike and wife, Linda and Dan and wife, Sharon of Georgetown,; stepdaughter, Janice Roye of Waco; stepson, Jay Roye and wife, Beth of Dallas; seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Memorials may be made to charity of choice. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our “Memorial Guestbook” at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com. WILKIRSON-HATCH-BAILEY