EDWIN R. PULS

Mr. Edwin R. Puls of Jackson passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 1998, at the Lutheran Home in Cape.

A longtime banker in both Jackson and Cape Girardeau, he was president of the old Cape County Savings Bank located in Jackson. Mr. Puls came from a line of bank executives. His father, Mr. Henry Puls, was the president of the Cape County Savings Bank for a number of years and his grandfather, Mr. Elam Russell, was the first president of the Jackson Exchange Bank.

Mr. Edwin Puls held the positions of teller, assistant cashier, cashier and vice president prior to being elected president of the bank in 1975. He served as president until January, 1985, when he turned the reins of the bank over to his son, Van Puls. Mr. Puls then held the position of board chairman.

While Mr. Edwin Puls was president of the bank, the County Bank Corp. was established in 1983. The next year the County Bank Corporation opened the Cape Bank on Mount Auburn Road. Later the bank name was changed to Capital Bank. Today it is known as Union Planters Bank. Mr. Puls is a board member of Union Planters Bank.

He had been very active for more than 50 years in the Missouri Bankers Assn. For four years he served on the Salvation Army board and for 25 years was treasurer of Boy Scout Troop 11 in Jackson. He was a longtime member of the Jackson Chamber of Commerce and was also a member of Kimbeland and Cape Country clubs and a lifetime resident of Jackson.

For a total of 56 years he was active in the banking field, retiring in 1985.

He was a veteran of World War II serving in the U.S. Air Force. He was a member of New McKendree United Methodist Church in Jackson; Excelsior Masonic Lodge in Jackson; the Cape Shrine Club. He was a 32nd degree Mason and a member of Moolah Temple in St. Louis. He attended Central Methodist College and Southeast Missouri State University. He was born on Oct. 13, 1918, in Jackson, the son of Henry and Addie Russell Puls. He married Evelyn Birk on Oct. 5, 1946, in Pevely, Mo.

He is survived by his wife, Evelyn of Jackson; one son, Van Puls of Naples, Fla.; two grandsons, Shannon Puls and Drew Puls, both of Jackson; three great grandchildren, Miles Puls, Gage Puls and Meagan Puls, all of Jackson. He was preceded in death by his son, Eddie Puls who died in 1993; and one brother, Henry Puls who died in 1994. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 pm Saturday at Ford & Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel with funeral at 1:30 pm Sunday, Dec. 27, 1998, at the funeral home withi the Rev. Scott Lohse and the Rev. Jimmie Carbin officiating. Burial will be in Russell Heights Cemetery, Jackson.

Pallbearers will be Drew Puls, Shannon Puls, Charles Puls, Brent Lichtenegger, Douglas Reynolds, Scott Reynolds and Robert Reynolds.

The family of Edwin R. Puls requests memorials to Shriner's Hospital.