Phyllis June Hughes Pullen

Phyllis June Hughes Pullen

January 21, 1924- October 9, 2017

Phyllis Pullen, longtime Cerritos resident, passed away unexpectedly, but peacefully in Medford, Oregon. She was born in Stockton, California to D'Alton and Nelle Hughes, along with her twin sister Gladys, on January 21, 1924. Their sister Beatrice was only 18 months older. They grew up in Yuba City, California and graduated from Yuba City High School. Encouraged by their musically gifted parents, she and her sisters formed a vocal trio and entertained at local dances and community events. After High School, the twins were educated at Los Angeles County General Hospital School of Nursing through the Cadet Nurse Corps. Upon graduation in 1946, Phyllis stayed on at LA County General Hospital and was soon promoted to Head Nurse of the Neurology floor. There she met and then married her first husband, David Hamm, Jr who was in medical school at the time. In 1950, she gave birth to their son, Gregory. Following Dr. Hamm's resident training, the family relocated to Edwards Air Force Base. In 1955 they moved to Long Beach and Phyllis gave birth to their daughter, Vicki. After the marriage ended, Phyllis joined the staff at the Community Epilepsy Clinic where she was Head Nurse. She had a passion for helping the hundreds of patients and their families understand and treat their disease to regain quality of life. The clinic eventually outgrew its location and was relocated to Pacific Hospital where Phyllis continued to use her nursing skills and knowledge in that capacity. She married Charles Pullen and they enjoyed life together for 35 years, traveling extensively with the company he worked for, Monroe, until his death in 1999. During those years, Phyllis became Head Nurse at St. Mary's Hospital Ambulatory Clinic where she worked until her retirement. All her life, Phyllis loved music, especially singing barbershop harmony. She formed a performing quartet, the Bel-Airs, shortly after moving to Long Beach and was an active member of Sweet Adelines for many years. She later joined a double quartet called the Song Peddlers and they performed throughout the Long Beach area. In 2014, health issues required a move to Medford, Oregon to be near family. She enjoyed several years there before passing away on October 9. Phyllis will be remembered as a vibrant, compassionate, confident woman who loved her patients, her music, all animals, and her family. She was preceded in death by her parents, her 2 sisters and brothers-in law, and her beloved husband, Chuck. She survives in the loving memories of her son and daughter-in-law Greg and Beatrix Hamm of Seattle, her daughter and son-in-law Vicki and Steve Johnson of Medford, Oregon, 5 grandchildren: Amy (Logan) Bell, Michael Hamm, Chelsea (David) Swensen, Benjamin Hamm, and Garrett Johnson, 5 great-grandchildren: Chloe and Kassidy Bell, Erling, Otto and Elka Swensen, and 5 nieces and 1 nephew. She was a member of St. Gregory's Episcopal Church at 6201 E. Willow Street in Long Beach. There will be a service for her there on Friday, November 17 at 11:00am with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family believes Phyllis would want donations made in her memory to Friends of Long Beach Animals www.folba.org/donation.
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