David Bruce Pylant, age 74, of Pine Mountain, GA, passed away Thursday, May 4, 2023 at his residence of heart failure.
He was born Feb. 6, 1949 in Cullman, AL, the son of Nathan Bruce Pylant and Annie Lee Brown Pylant. He was a graduate of Cullman High School, an undergraduate of Florence State University and a Masters graduate of Auburn University. During the Vietnam conflict, he served a tour of duty in the U. S. Army, receiving his training in Panama. It was there that he met and married his beautiful wife of fifty years, Berta Paz Rodriguez Pylant.
David’s first job after graduating Auburn was as a wildlife biologist in the Big Cypress Nature Preserve, so he moved his wife and young daughter to Naples, Florida. He also worked for Collier Enterprises as an Agricultural Land Manager in Immokalee, FL. After 12 years in Naples, the family moved to St. Augustine, FL where they found their beloved African Gray Parrot Dominica. She adored David. They returned to his hometown Cullman, AL where he worked as a Biology instructor at Wallace State College in Hanceville, AL until his retirement in 2010. They enjoyed 6 years of their retirement in Freeport, FL where they made several lifelong friends before moving to Pine Mountain, GA.
In Cullman he took up birding. He traveled to many places including his wife Berta’s native Panama counting species of birds and was active in the North Alabama Audubon and Ornithology Societies. He loved golf (his first love), hunting, frog gigging, his taxidermied animals, basketball, tennis, the beach and most everything outdoors. He was an avid reader and rarely missed Jeopardy. He loved hot weather and was most comfortable in shorts and a t-shirt. As a licensed pilot he loved flying and even tracked endangered panthers in the Everglades.
David was a lifelong Methodist from Cullman First United Methodist where he was baptized and East Naples United Methodist Church to their current membership at 1st United Methodist Church of Pine Mountain, GA.
He is survived by his wife Berta of fifty years; a daughter, Jennifer Pylant (Shereta Williams) of Atlanta, GA; two sisters, Dolores Ollice of Oak Island, NC, and Mary Burden of Trussville, AL; and four nephews, Randy and Bruce Ollice, Brad and Russ Burden.
A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Saturday, May 20, 2023 at First United Methodist Church of Pine Mountain, with Rev. Kaylen Short officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service, from 1 p.m. until 2 p.m. on May 20 at the church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The American Heart Association or the First United Methodist Church of Pine Mountain Pastor’s Pantry, 246 McDougal Ave, Pine Mountain, GA, 31822
Cox Funeral Home, of Hamilton, is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be offered at coxfh.com.
