Eugene Pullins, Demolition Contractor/Trucking Executive
EUGENE Pullins started to dream early.
Life was so hard on the farm where he grew up in Appling, Ga., that he used to climb onto the roof of his home and listen to distant train whistles.
"There's got to be a better place than this," he said to himself.
His early life was so desperate that he had to drop out of school after the fourth grade to work in the cotton fields.
His family said he was jokingly called "Huckleberry Finn" because of the clothes he had to wear and the fact that at times he had to catch sparrows to eat.
He couldn't have known then that his dreams of a better life would come true in Philadelphia where he would become a successful and honored businessman and enjoy the many fruits of hard work and enterprise.
Gene died July 20 at the age of 68 after a long illness.
He was born to the late Bryant and Cherrie M. Pullins. He came to Philadelphia in his early teens.
He started helping his stepfather, Charles Tate, with his truck. With his first six-wheeler, which his stepfather had given to him, he started the Pullins Trucking Co. in 1956 with his brothers, Willie and Kiemp.
In 1969, he branched out on his own as the owner/operator of the Eugene Pullins Trucking Co. and built it to include a number of employees, a fleet of trucks, containers, demolition equipment and real estate properties.
In 1999, he expanded his business to do demolition work for the City of Philadelphia and was credited with removing some 10,000 blighted properties from the region.
Over the years, he received a number of awards, including the 2001 Medweek Award, by the City of Philadelphia for outstanding minority business enterprise.
He met and married Elaine Bates. They had seven children together. After her death, he met and married Rita Harris Mann and two more children were born.
Gene rarely used foremen on his jobs, preferring to be there himself to make sure things were done right.
For rare relaxation, he enjoyed fishing, dancing, eating out and visiting Atlantic City.
He also liked to host or cook for big family gatherings. He was both dedicated to his business and willing to help anyone in need.
"He never wanted to see anyone go hungry," his family said.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by three daughters, Towana Pullins, Elaine Norris and Joyce Elliott; his step-daughter, Shannon Mann; nine sons, Eugene Pullins Jr., Tyrone, Robert, Anthony, Harold, Anthony Moore, Bryan, Shane and David; two sisters, Eunice Hankerson and Susie Hankerson; two brothers, Willie and Kiemp; 20 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
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