Interview with Gary Pulsipher
About his father Frenchie Hardy
Pulsipher
May 6, 2015
Frenchie Hardy Pulsipher was born September 24, 1932
in Mesquite Nevada to William and Nevada Pulsipher. He was the second to the
last child. His dad was gone a lot working the mine or driving a truck. They
had a farm and animals, and were self sustaining. His mother was a strong
woman. They had a sense of humor to aid them through their struggles and hardships.
Frenchie’s brothers and sisters included Silva, Verna, Warren, Howard,
and Katie was the baby. Frenchie and his 3 brothers all slept in the same bed
growing up. Growing up Frenchie helped his dad driving the truck-hauling cattle
from Mesquite to Los Angeles. Frenchie was drafted into the military at 18 and
spent 2 years in Korea. Frenchie remembered that his parents did not even take
him to the bus to say good-bye. Frenchie traveled by freightliner to Korea.
Frenchie always felt that he would come home safe and he didn’t fear his assignments. Once Frenchie got blamed for peeing
in the sergeant’s helmet because he was somewhat of a
prankster, but Frenchie denied it was him. Once the camp took fire from
artillery and Frenchie could see the shells coming in, so he ran and dove
underneath a tank, some of the shrapnel landed close to him and it was so hot,
he knew it would have done some permanent damage had it hit him. When he
returned home from the military he worked at the gas station with his brother.
His brother eventually moved to San Diego with his wife to work at Convair and
convinced his dad to have Frenchie move down to San Diego with him. Frenchie
had already started dating his future wife Marilyn Reber and they continued a
long distance relationship, via writing letters everyday to each other.
Periodically Frenchie would return to Mesquite to see Marilyn and eventually they
married in the St. George temple on April 20, 1956. Frenchie and Marilyn
started their life together in San Diego with Frenchie working at Convair. A
few years later Frenchie took a job with Mothers Cookies and worked there until
he retired. Marilyn and Frenchie had six children and they were all raised in a
very loving home where they were taught to work hard and live the gospel.
