I pretty much agree with all that has been said so far. Those big heavy 
slide hammer pullers do the job but sure ain't elegant. Most of the ones 
I see in garage sales are bent. I suppose that's because folks finally 
realize that as a nail puller they make great pry bars. There is one 
exception. Millers Falls made a pocket nail puller that look like all 
the rest but cut off all but the business end. They cast a flat and a 
little protrusion on it so instead of the slide hammer you used a claw 
hammer to knock the teeth into the wood and then use the claw to lever 
the tool and then bada bing you already have your claw hammer in your 
dominant hand ready to pull the nail the rest of the way.

I'm away from home (attending my grandson's baptism BTW) so I can't grab 
mine to take a photo or get the number off of it. I know exactly where I 
keep though - It's in the pouch of my tool belt. The thing is that handy.

Mathew, if your nice widow friend has any of those I will gladly 
purchase all she has at her asking price and buy her dinner.

-JP in muggy Columbus, Ohio enjoy some quality family time