Obituary of Frances Jean Pulley

Frances Jean Dancy Pulley, age 78, was called home on Tuesday, February 9, 2016 with her family at her side. Ms. Pulley moved to Utica in 2006, and was proud to call this Mohawk Valley city her home. The daughter of Andrew and Susan Dancy, Frances grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where the famous folk singer, Richie Havens, was her neighbor and childhood friend. As fourth oldest of eleven siblings, she played an active role in caring for the younger children, and at age 18 she got a job to help out with family finances. With her earnings, Frances bought the family their first television in the 1950s. In 1957, Frances was one of the first Afro-American women to join the Air Force, and became a member of the 3201 Squadron. She served for over three years at Eglin Air Force Base in Pensacola, Florida. Frances and her family regularly attended Mount Carmel Baptist Church, where her mother, was an active member and community activist. In the early 1960s, Martin Luther King came to this church to speak about the civil rights movement and the upcoming 1963 March on Washington. Frances was profoundly moved by Dr. King’s talk at her church, and this became a defining experience in her life. As an adult, after raising her own child, Dawn Laguerre, Ms. Pulley attended Brooklyn College where she studied social service. She later took graduate courses in Theology at Fordham University. In 1986, Frances was a founding member of the Life Experience and Faith Sharing Movement, a not-for-profit, interdenominational, empowerment association. This organization helps the homeless overcome addiction by empowering them to emerge from their oppressed situations with a belief in self, a restored sense of dignity and renewed faith within a supportive faith based community. In her leadership role, she met often with Archbishop O’Connor to discuss the plight of the disadvantaged in New York City. After moving to Utica, Frances continued her community service by volunteering at Abraham House, where she comforted hospice patients and their families. She was also an active fund raiser for veteran’s affairs. Here in Utica, she became a cherished member of Our Lady of Lourdes Church. Frances Pulley leaves behind her beloved daughter Dawn Laguerre, son-in-law David Laguerre, and cherished grandson, David Laguerre, Jr. She leaves one surviving sibling, Andrew Dancy and a host of nieces and nephews. 10:00 am service will be held on Saturday, February 20, 2016 at the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, 2222 Genesee St., Utica, NY. with interment at Forest Hill Cemetery on Monday, February 22, 2016 at 10:00am. Arrangements entrusted to T. Revels-Gibson Funeral Services, Inc., 144 Eagle Street, Utica, NY..