LaVerne Pulliam

LaVerne Pulliam passed away on June 3, 2026. A graveside service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at Dreamland Cemetery, with Rev. Matt Wolfington officiating. The family will receive friends on Friday, June 5, 2026 from 5:00 to 6:00 P.M. at Brooks Chapel in Canyon.

LaVerne was born March 18, 1934, in Amarillo, Texas to Alec and Bertie Massey.

Her siblings were Willard (Died as an infant), Delbert, Geneva, Virgil, Winfred and Dorothy (living in Clovis New Mexico). She is survived by husband Dale and three adult children. They are Darlene Pulliam of Canyon, Texas, Bill Pulliam and spouse Elizabeth of Azle, Texas, and Brenda Lindsey and spouse Lynn of Grady, New Mexico. She had seven grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren. LaVerne had many nieces and nephews, but four nephews passed away. They were Craig, Ronnie, Kevin and Ted Massey.

She moved to the Rosedale, NM community (north of Clovis) in the fourth grade. There she played basketball and softball.

While she was a stay-at-home mother, she was always at Dale’s side farming, and everything else they accomplished. She never got a college degree but due to her encouragement and support, all three of her children have university degrees.

She and Dale have a farm over in New Mexico in Curry County. They were always partners in farming and ranching. When Dale got his college degree and the family moved to Clovis, he always had a job in town teaching at Eastern New Mexico University or working as a CPA. He would farm on weekends, and LaVerne and her three kids would go out to the farm and plow, fix fence or whatever else needed to be done when he wasn’t available. She and the kids developed into some pretty good farm hands.

She and Dale are two of the kindest people Canyon has ever known. They were always

helping people who were in crisis and/or in some kind of need. One of the things they

did is when they bought new cars, they donated their old vehicles to someone in need.

She almost made it to her and Dale’s 74th anniversary. They were

incredibly committed and supportive of one another through all that life has to offer, in

good times and challenging times. Rumor has it that she initiated their relationship as teens. The story goes that she threw beans at him to get his attention and obviously it worked.

She was very instrumental in raising and encouraging her grandchildren. They call her

Granny and have many amusing stories from the times spent with her. She and Dale lived in the White Fence Farms neighborhood just outside Canyon Texas. When her youngest grandson, Conner, was small and would spend time with her, they would throw rocks off the edge of the Canyon. She would tie a lariat rope around his waist and hold the other end so he wouldn’t go over the edge.

She was always interested in music and played both the piano and guitar. She taught some of her grandchildren to play guitar and sang in the choir at First Methodist Church of Canyon for many years. She loved both gospel and country music and was in singing group called the Canyonettes. She played the guitar, another member played the piano, and they sang old country and gospel music. They performed at rest homes, parties and many other events and published two yodeling songs that she wrote.

She was a major force in the first overhaul of Tex Randall – the cowboy statue on the west side of Canyon. With the help of Buell Martin, they made it happen.

She worked in the Registrar’s office at West Texas State University, now West Texas A&M University.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Pulliam Family Scholarship at West Texas A&M University.