Eleanor was born in Camden in 1953 and has lived in Gloucester for the last 45 years. She worked 10 years for Dr. Brennan and Dr. Hyman at Cooper Physicians and for 6 years with Dr.s DiMarino and Kroop at Woodbury Gastroenterologists. Eleanor loved camping, going on Cruises and to the Casinos, but most of all loved spending many, many happy times with her family and friends.

By Linda Boker-Angelo

Following a brief pre-sentation by Superintendent Paul Spaventa, the Gloucester City Board of Education last week approved a $45.2 million budget for 2009-10.

If approved during the School Election April 21, it would cost the average City taxpayer about 46 cents more per month on their school tax bill.

The proposed budget, which maintains the same quality level of education and programs for district students, calls for a tax rate of 0.5404, Spaventa said.

This means an increase of about $5.53 for the entire year for a resident whose home is assessed at the City average of $70,000.

Business Administrator Margaret McDonnell said residents wishing to view a more detailed accounting of the spending plan may visit the district website at 

She said viewers simply have to click on \”Board of Education,\” and then go to \”User Friendly Budget.\”

It was also published in the March 26 edition of the Gloucester City News.

Residents will vote on the school budget Tuesday, April 21. Polls will be open from 2 to 9 p.m.

The three incumbent candidates for three-year terms on the Board of Education are running unopposed.

They are Edward C. Hubbs, Louisa W. Llewellyn and Raymond W. Coxe.

There will be a follow-up Clean-Up Day in October.

The number of groups and individuals are too numerous to mention, and their dedication to this community is appreciated. We would also like to thank the additional groups and individuals who responded to the article in the Gloucester City News. Some people from outside of the community called in, signed up, and participated alongside our residents.

Finally, we would like to thank the various city departments, committees, and employees who participated in this event. Gloucester City continues to move forward and we say \”Thank you for a job well done!\”

Mayor William James, Gloucester City

The crew, eating their lunch, were there with the backhoe, but the hearse was nowhere in sight. I apologized to the workers for my tardiness and stepped to the side of the open grave where I saw the vault lid already in place.

I assured the workers I would not hold them up for long and told them this was the proper thing to do. They gathered around me as they ate their lunch. I played my heart out, and the workers began to weep. I played like I\’d never played before, from Going Home and The Lord is My Shepherd to Flowers of the Forest . I closed the lengthy session with Amazing Grace and walked to my car.

• Hometown: Edmonton, KY
• Awarded: Bronze Star

The Story:

On March 20, 2005, Pullen was driving one of three Humvees providing security for a 30-vehicle convoy traveling in Iraq. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary – which is often how the prelude to an ambush appears. Suddenly insurgents sprung a complex operation and began pouring heavy fire from multiple directions, stopping the convoy in its tracks. Pullen’s unit moved out from behind the convoy to flank the insurgents and prevent them from escaping. Pullen’s team began firing back.

Then she heard a call for help over the radio. Pullen backed her Humvee into a better position, jumped out, and ran 90 meters through the line of fire toward the injured soldier. She administered first aid and tried to calm him down. As she was treating him, another soldier launched a shoulder-held rocket toward a nest of insurgents. Although he warned of the impending firing, Pullen couldn’t move out of the way fast enough. She threw her small frame over the wounded soldier to protect him from the blast – a blast that threw her off the soldier onto her backside.

About 27 insurgents were killed during the fight, and six were injured. For her efforts, Pullen was awarded the Bronze Star with \”V\” on June 16, 2005.