William Bullard Sr.

William Andrew Bullard Senior of Topeka, died at Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center early on Sunday morning, January 8, 2006. His family was with him at the last. Catholic Funeral Mass will be at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 312 NE Freeman at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 12, 2006

Born on January 3, 1919 in Talalah, Oklahoma, Bill was the oldest son of Emmett Young Bullard and Elizabeth Teresa Taylor Bullard. He had two brothers and two sisters.

Bill and his brother and sisters were raised and went to school in Coffeyville, Kansas.

At the outset of World War II, Bill joined the Army Air Corps. He served in various units including the 55th Fighter Squadron of the 9th Air Force, United States Army Air Corps from 1941 until 1945 with service in England and Europe.

Bill married Evelyn M. Sitz in Coffeyville on December 30, 1943. Evelyn continues life at their home.

Bill was a life long member of the United Association of Trade Unions and was a member Union Local 165, Pipefitters Union (now Local 441).

During his service in the U.S. Army Air Corp, Bill, at the age of 26, had risen to the rank of Master Sergeant. He worked on and supervised the maintenance of virtually every type of aircraft committed to the European theatre and served in England, France, Belgium and Germany. He also had the reputation of a problem solver in the Army solving problems from the removal and disposal of Luftwaffe bombs from storage depots on a captured airfield in Germany to establishing hot water showers and salvaging the radio from a crashed B-24 to provide radio music and news for his squadron while they were encamped on an abandoned farm in France during the winter of 1945. He volunteered to and participated in the U.S. Army relief operations at the Buchenwald concentration camp.

Bill was a life-long member of the Roman Catholic Church. After moving his family from Coffeyville, Kansas to Topeka in 1952, Bill and his family were members of Assumption Parish. In the summer of 1968, the family moved to Holton and attended St. Dominic's Parish.

In his career with the United Association in the Pipefitters Local, Bill worked tirelessly to break down ethnic barriers in organized labor and the trade unions. Bill worked on major construction projects throughout the Midwest, including the Haskell Power Plant in Lawrence, the Tecumseh Power Station near Topeka, the Jeffrey's Energy Center north of Saint Mary's and the Cooper Nuclear Power Station at Brownsville, Nebraska. He also worked on military construction during the expansion of Forbes Field in Topeka during the 1950s. and a number of cold war era missile sites and many other military and civilian construction projects from Cincinnati, Ohio to Liberal, Kansas and into Oklahoma. His last job was the Jeffrey's Energy Center north of Saint Mary's, Kansas where he was the Union Steward. He retired at the age of 66.

"Bull" as he was known in the trades, for his physical strength, determination, humor and personal integrity, has a reputation as an effective problem solver with strong leadership skills in dealing with labor issues and maintaining productive and safe job-sites. With little formal education he had, on his own, studied and become very proficient with the complex mathematic disciplines of trigonometry and calculus and was highly regarded for his skill in resolving serious and complex technical problems on various job sites. He received awards in 1998 from the Union for his contributions to the training of skilled tradesmen.

He was also an artistic man who loved and was a very accomplished photographer. He enjoyed a wide range of music from Verdi to "CCR". Bill loved gardening.

After he retired from Local 165, he installed the plumbing in seven Habitat Housing units throughout the Topeka area and was, again, the driving force in the participation of organized labor and the trade unions in Habitat Housing. In 1999 he received the Local 165 Community Service Award for his work with Habitat Housing. He was also a frequent and politically outspoken contributor to Letters to the Editor.

Bill's health had been declining for a number of years. He suffered from colon cancer, asbestosis and congestive heart failure. He and Evelyn lived at home. Their needs were attended to by several of their sons and daughters. Evelyn continues to live at home with the assistance of sons, daughters and grandchildren.

Even in his decline, Bill continued to provide inspiration and guidance to his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren with his life examples of faith in God, love of his family, grace and patience in difficulty, personal generosity to those in need and determination in adversity.

Bill received Last Rights of the Catholic Church on Saturday and died peacefully early on Sunday morning.

Survivors include five sons and nine daughters; William A. Bullard Jr, Fall River, Massachusetts, Janet M Brunton, Topeka, Jeanne P. LaMoree, Olathe, Joseph A. Bullard, Mayetta, Nanci L. Flesher, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Mary C. Bullard, Lawrence, Christopher A. Bullard, Topeka, Paula M Harrison, Plano, Texas, Sarah E. Zibell and Margaret M. Krogmann, both of Holton, John A. Bullard, Bremerton, Washington and Mary F. Boland, Topeka; 36 grandchildren and 41 great grandchildren. Bill was preceded in death by his sibling; Emmett Bullard, Medford, Oregon, Betty Perkins, Ft. Worth, Texas, John Bullard, Chester, Pennsylvania and Mary Reid, Colorado Springs, Colorado, and a daughter,Therese A. Lewis.

Bill will lie in state at Penwell-Gabel Mid Town Chapel after 2:00 P.M. on Wednesday, January 11, 2006 with a Rosary recited at 7:00 P.M.

"It is not important that our children have more than we had. All that is important is that they are better than us" W.A. "Bull Bullard Sr.

Requiescat in pace our dear Father.

A special message for the family can be left online at www.PenwellGabel.com