- Date Of Birth: December 26, 1951
- Date Of Death: December 27, 2020
- State: Illinois
Richard Douglas Bullock, 69, of Worden, Illinois, an attorney, and educator, died December 27, 2020, at Anderson Hospital in Maryville, IL.
He had been in declining health following a fall at his home in 2018, which aggravated a spinal injury sustained in a 1976 auto accident. At the time of his death, Richard was being treated for several conditions related to an MRSA infection, including pneumonia, sepsis, and kidney failure. His son and daughter-in-law, Bill and Andrea Bullock, were with him throughout his final hospitalization. Richard was born December 26, 1951, in Evanston, Illinois. He began his higher studies at the University of Evansville in 1969. Throughout his life, Richard demonstrated a wide range of scholarly interests, eventually accumulating six post-graduate degrees, including master’s degrees in Philosophy, Business Administration, Mathematics, Psychology, and Education, as well as a juris doctorate from Northern Illinois University in 1992. He principally made his living as an attorney from that point, although he continued to teach part-time at both the secondary and college level, mostly in Mathematics and Philosophy. Richard enjoyed travel and the outdoors, and he especially loved the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, which he hiked many times. He was an ever-avid follower of public affairs and enjoyed discussing politics, philosophy, and many other interests with family and friends. A life-long supporter of civil rights and progressive causes, he once served as the corresponding secretary for the Democratic Party of Nevada. He was an active member of St. Michael’s Episcopal parish in O’Fallon, Illinois.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents, Jack W. Bullock of Topeka, Kansas, and Bobbie Jo Bullock (née Currie) of Longview, Texas; a son Richard – “Little Ricky” – Bullock, Jr; a sister Judith Bullock of Evansville, Indiana, and a half-brother Ronald Bullock of Ozawkie, Kansas.
Surviving are his wife of 13 years, Jodi O’Keeffe of Mexico, Missouri; his son Bill Bullock of Noblesville, Indiana; stepchildren Steven Nelson of Carbondale, Illinois, Andrea Bledsoe of Rockford, Illinois, Timothy Nelson of Champaign, Illinois, Jessi Pflugradt of Tomah, Wisconsin, Jared Olive of Tomah, Wisconsin, and Justin Olive of Sparta, Wisconsin; siblings James L. Bullock of Washington, DC, Rebecca Rathman of Dallas, Texas, and Joan Kohlschmidt of Aubrey, Texas; as well as half-siblings John Bullock of Franklin, Wisconsin, Jennifer Stelter of Larned, Kansas, and Joseph Bullock of Silver Lake, Kansas; and a granddaughter, Bridget Bullock, of Noblesville, Indiana. Richard is also survived by step-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, former students, and friends, many of whom knew him as “Uncle Richard.”
