Phyllis Feiring Pulfer

Phyllis Feiring Pulfer
passed away on Sept. 29,
2016, at Washington Odd
Fellows Home surrounded by family. She was born
on Dec. 7, 1926, in Cincinnati, Ohio to Howard Farbach
and Helen McGrath Farbach. After her mother’s
passing when she was still quite young, she was
raised by her grandparents in Seattle and later adopted
by her maternal aunt and uncle, Odene and Arthur
Feiring. She graduated from West Seattle High
and attended the University of Washington. She took
time away from her studies at the University, worked
for a time and later transferred to the University of
Oregon. It was there that she meet a rather dashing
fellow who was going to college on the GI bill. Robert
B. Pulfer and Phyllis were married on June 17, 1948.
Phyllis and “Bob” started a family, and after his
graduation, he went to work for the Corp of Engineers,
which took them to several locations along the
Columbia River. They had 6 children in 8 years and
she enjoyed being a mother. She was awarded “mother
of the year” in 1962 and was active in Camp Fire,
PTA, and her church. She returned to complete her
degree in her 40’s at Whitman College while raising
her children, and with very limited vision. She graduated
from Whitman College in 1969 with a degree in
Economics. She took a job at Blue Mountain Action
council and advanced to Executive Director within
a few short years. She retired from BMAC in 1992
and continued in her role as chairman of the Human
Rights Commission for the state of Washington.
Phyllis will be remembered for her tireless advocacy
for social justice. She fought for the rights of the educationally
and economically disadvantaged, the differently
abled and the victims of bigotry and injustice.
She served on many boards of directors in this
community helping to steer organizations to financial
solvency. While at BMAC she instituted programs to
help winterize homes, developed training and employment
for disadvantaged youth, created the Day
Care Center at the Migrant Labor Camp and many
more services to the benefit of those in need in this
community. She was particularly interested in adult
literacy and helped to start Project Read. She was
interested in woman’s rights and served on the board
of Planned Parenthood and started the local NOW
chapter. Her ability to work with parties across the
spectrum of political and economic entities to create a
lasting legacy of care for all the members of this community
is legendary.
Those who worked for her have praised her ability to
bring out the best in themselves as she encouraged
them to fulfill their potential. She listened to the
concerns of those around her and had a keen eye for
simple solutions. She had a soft heart and a ready
tear, but she did not get mired in the emotional aspects
of the job at hand. There are few social service
organizations in the valley that did not benefit from
her time and energy.
Phyllis was preceded in death by her mother, father,
Sister Patricia Bristow and son Bruce James Pulfer.
Her husband Robert Pulfer died two days following
her passing. She is survived by daughters Janet Velez
(Ray), Marianne Pulfer (Richard Thurston), Kathleen
Burgess (Aaron) and Nadean Pulfer (Irving
Rosenberg), and a son Ross Pulfer (Merrilynn Leslie).
She dearly loved her 10 grandchildren and 10 greatgrandchildren
who will remember her fondly.
A celebration of life will be held October 22, 2016,
at 11 a.m., at the First Congregational Church, food
and refreshments to follow services in the Fellowship
Hall. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the
Teen Center/Blue Mountain Action Council (homeless
shelter for teens) or organization of your choice,
through Herring Groseclose Funeral Home.