Obituary of Nick Mammon

Lillie M. Pulliam was born March 21,1918, in the Tucker, Missouri, vicinity.She died May 08,2011, of the Fulton County Hospital in Salem where she bad been a patient for 7 days. She died from age complications, chiefly double pneumonia and congestive heart failure. Nick obtained her name 'Nick' at an early age. Seems that there was an elderly gentleman in the area who was known for his tall tales. A sister started calling her Nick as she entertained the family with wild made-up stories that she swore were true! 'Nick was the 'baby' of the family and according to her siblings, she 'got by' with things that their parents would never have allowed them to do. It was probably due to her infectious personality. While in high school, she and Waymon Ponder fell in love and married young, in 1938. They had 23 wonderful years together. He died of cancer in 1961. During their years together, with help from Nick's father, Bill Pulliam, they bought what was known as the Tommy Pritchard farm on 142 West in Gatewood. The farm has always been 'home' to her. Though Nick had no biological children, a lovely little 2 year old blonde, blue-eyed daughter came into her and Waymon's lives in 1958. Even though Waymon only lived 3 more years, Mary Jane remembers him as her loving dad. After Waymon's death, Nick and Mary Jane lived alone on the farm until Nick and Gene Cole's marriage in 1964. Gene brought to the marriage three children born to him and his late wife, Alma Lee. Eddie was in grade school and Jerry in high school. Mary Virginia was married and away from home. Gene said one thing that attracted him to her was how she could 'hold her own' with the men at the livestock auction barn where she bought and sold cattle. This was early 60's when few women would've considered making big decisions like this on their own. She and Gene had known each other earlier when she and Waymon and Gene and his wife, Alma Lee, sometimes played cards or saw movies together until the Coles moved to Kentucky. It was not always easy to blend the 2 boys and Mary Jane into one family but Nick did it with grace, lots of love and help from Gene. The children thrived. Gene often traveled for his company and Nick somehow took care of the kids and the farm and managed to work at times for the Bank of Doniphan and Smith's Discount Store. She always considered her former 'bosses' Dennis Smith and Loyal Hood among her best friends. Mr. Hood is deceased but Dennis adorned Nick's room at Current River Nursing and Rehab with many flowers while she was there. She had always enjoyed joking with him and baking him pies. In fact, she became known as the 'pie lady' due to the many pies that she baked and gave to friends even if they were trying to watch their calories! After Gene's death from heart disease in 1985 and the kids gone, Nick found herself at home alone again and she only had the farm to look after. The Rev. Fred Mammon, minister of Doniphan United Methodist Church was a widower. He and Nick were married in June of 1987. He soon retired from the ministry and he and Nick 'farmed' until his death from cancer in 1995. After Fred's death, Nick drove from Gatewood into Doniphan to have lunch with her many friends at the Nutrition Center. 'The Center' as she referred to it was a real blessing to her and she served in various offices, helping it to stay open in any way that she could. After her driving skills became somewhat hazardous, to say the least, family members encouraged her to move into Doniphan in 2005. She and her housedog, Jake, a big pit bull, moved to Walnut Street. She said that she knew that it was the right thing to do but that it never felt like 'home', She did acknowledge that it was convenient but she surely worried about things 'out home'. In the summer of 2009 she moved into the Current River Nursing and Rehab Center as she could no longer manage at home alone. In January of 2011 she moved to Eaglecrest Nursing and Rehab in Ash Flat, Arkansas, to be nearer to her niece, Sue, who only lived 5 miles away and tried to see her daily. Nick was 'born into' the Tucker Methodist Church, now Tucker United Methodist Church, being sprinkled as a baby. Her grandfather Pulliam helped build the church building which was dedicated in 1896 and has never closed its church services to this day. Nick has been a lifelong sustaining member leader. She has taught Sunday School, been church treasurer and.pianist. When the piano wore out, someone donated a keyboard and then she played it until 'she' wore out. Her sister, Jessie Ponder was the long-time song leader until she died, at church, on Easter morning in 1998. Surviving Nick are her daughter, Mary Jane Ponder of Doniphan; stepchildren, Jerry Cole of Doniphan, Eddie Cole of Temple Terrace, Florida, and Mary Virginia Fielder of Gatewood; a niece, Sue Netherland Hertzog of Ash Flat, Arkansas; her son, Don Hertzog of Durham, North Carolina; and a nephew,Joe Pulliam and his daughter Lynn Rathbun, both of Springfield, Missouri. Family members preceding her in death are her parents, two sisters, Zetta Netherland and Jessie Ponder, and brother, Daily Pulliam. Nick's was a life well-lived, being a role model and friend to many who will miss her. Visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 11, 2011, at the Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. The funeral service will follow at 2:15 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Brother Kent Wilfong officiating. Burial will be in the Doniphan City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Tucker UMC, c/o Doris Coats, Route 9, Box 485, Doniphan, Missouri 63935 or Doniphan UMC or to a pet Shelter of your choice.