Elizabeth Ann Pulley

Elizabeth Ann (Chi) Dees Nelson Pulley, 82, died peacefully at her home in Durham after an extended battle with cancer on June 9, 2021. She was born on January 19, 1939 to the late Doctors John and Susan Dees of Durham in Baltimore, MD.

Chi attended Calvert Methodist Elementary School and Carr Junior High School. After 1 year at Durham High School she went to Madeira Finishing School in Virginia. This was followed by a year at Duke studying zoology before being married on July 22, 1959 at the Citadel to Hugh Reavis Nelson Jr. Chi was a life-long realtor in Durham beginning in 1967 until her retirement in 2014 when she received the Realtor Emeritus award. In her free time (after raising 5 children) she loved to play bridge, work jigsaw puzzles, read and work in her rose gardens. One of Chi’s favorite places was her house on the Pungo Creek in Belhaven where she could be found reading on the front porch, taking her daily “conference”, or working on her flower beds.

Chi is survived by her sisters Nancy Dixon of Littleton, CO; Susan Dees of Cortez, CO; daughter Debbie (Brad) McKnight of Pittsboro, NC; son Hugh Reavis “Tripp” Nelson, III (Robin) of Newport, NC; son-in-law V. Lee Necessary (Beverly) of Wake Forest, NC; stepsons William (Bill) Paul Pulley, III (Peggy) of Durham, NC; and Bradley (Brad) Larkin Pulley of Florida; 12 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren and 3 nephews. Chi was preceded in death by her parents Doctors John and Susan Dees, her brother John Essary Dees, Jr, her daughter Margaret Nelson Necessary, and husbands Captain H. Reavis Nelson, Jr and William Paul Pulley, Jr..

A gathering in her honor will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 1, 2021 followed by a memorial service at 2:00 p.m. at Hall-Wynne Funeral Home in Durham, NC.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Independent Animal Rescue of Durham, NC (https://animalrescue.net/donate) IAR, P.O. Box 14232, Durham, NC 27709-4232

The Pulley care of Hall-Wynne Funeral Service.