Obituary of Eugene Bullock-Wilson

Seven months after a diagnosis of non-smoker’s lung cancer, Gene Bullock-Wilson passed peacefully at home in the early morning hours of December 31, 2015 in the presence of his beloved spouse Barbara, nephew John Wilson, and care-giving angel Ana Roehling. He began the great adventure of his life as Eugene Heber Wilson on October 25, 1928 in Kalaw, Burma, the fourth son of Seventh-day Adventist missionaries. At age eight, he began his formal education at Vincent Hill School in Mussoorie, a hill station in northern India where he finished three grades in one year while watching monkeys cavorting in nearby trees. From his family’s little cottage he could see the snowy peaks of the Himalayan mountain range, a vision that deepened his love of the natural world. Returning to Burma in 1937, Gene continued his education at the mission compound, sliding down the banister from their third floor apartment to school each day, singing alto in the mission choir, and learning to play piano. In 1939, Gene and his family left Burma, visiting many countries in the mid-East and Europe on the way home to the U.S. After attending church schools in Gentry, AR, and Keene, TX, he completed his high school education at age 16 in South Lancaster, MA. Gene then attended Southern Missionary College in TN and Walla Walla College in WA, earning part of his tuition by singing in school quartets and graduating with a degree in chemistry. Gene married his college sweetheart Jacquelin Ballard in 1949 and together they had five children, Steven Eugene, Karan Rayanne, Debra Jeanne, Robert James, and Lisa Beatrice. His first job as a chemist was at Radford Arsenal in VA, helping recycle ammunition for the Korean War. In 1957, he began his career as an educator at an Adventist school, teaching math, science, and boys’ gym as well as directing three choral groups. By 1960, a crisis of faith caused him to leave the school and the SDA church. Earning a Masters’ degree in guidance and counseling at Boston University, he worked as Director of Guidance at Oliver Ames High School in Easton, MA and then taught psychology and counseled at Boston University’s College of Basic Studies. During much of the 1960’s he concurrently worked in a doctoral program at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, completing his degree with a thesis on the teaching of decision-making. During his time at Harvard, Gene was involved in a project that led to his founding Interactive Learning Systems, a company that developed a computer program to help high school students explore colleges, scholarships, and occupations. Preceding the existence of personal computers and the Internet, the software program and the vision behind it were sound educationally, but the technology to adequately support them just wasn’t there. Gene often said the best thing that came out of the ILS experience was the American Personnel and Guidance Association national convention he attended in New Orleans to demonstrate his system. There on March 23, 1970, across a crowded ballroom he spied a young woman named Barbara Bullock. The moment they met their lives were forever changed and they knew they would be together the rest of their lives. After a year of bicoastal romance, Barbara moved back east to join her soul-mate. At Gene’s suggestion they changed their names legally to Bullock-Wilson on September 22, 1972 and on October 13 of that year, they married each other on a beach at Asilomar, California, in a ceremony they have repeated every year since. From 1973 to 1985, Gene served as Chairman of the Careers Department at Falmouth High School on Cape Cod. He organized and ran a successful dropout prevention program – a school within a school – as well as an Indian education program for native Wampanoag students. He oversaw an innovative childcare education program that included a nursery school at Falmouth High and he hosted “guerrilla” meetings for gay students who needed a safe place to talk about their feelings. During this period, Gene and Barbara also ran a highly successful cheesecake business; built a homestead they called Cedar Meadows Farm; tended an organic garden; participated in the sustainable ecology movement; nurtured their family; and embraced a continually growing community of “adopted” family and friends. In 1987, Barbara and Gene moved to the Monterey Peninsula where Barbara had been raised. They both became active members of the Unitarian Universalist Church where, from 1991 to 2003, Gene served the congregation as Director of Music. Although he had been a part-time musician and choir director for many different churches over several decades, Gene for the first time began arranging and composing his own music. It was a period of rich, joyful creativity. For the last 10 years of his life, Gene supported and assisted Barbara and her sister Lynne Harrington-Bullock in the management of the Wynn and Edna Bullock photographic estate – Bullock Family Photography LLC. He was an invaluable participant in promoting the Bullock artistic legacies. Gene was a wise and gentle man who loved deeply and generously. In addition to Barbara, his five children and their spouses and sweethearts, he is survived by eight adoring grandchildren and their families (Jennifer Rokes, Scott Wilson, Sean Brady, Ryan Wilson, Samantha Bridges, Amanda Wilson, Austin Bridges, and Jamie LaKind); 3 great grandchildren (Cameron Rokes, Charlotte Rokes, and Bradley Wilson who was born the day Gene passed on); his brother Morris Wilson; many devoted nieces and nephews; and a worldwide network of extended family and friends. Following a private interment, a memorial celebration of Gene’s life will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Monterey Peninsula sometime this spring at a date to be announced. Memorial contributions may be made to the UU Church, Point Lobos Foundation, or the Big Sur Land Trust. All contributions to UUCMP will go toward the publication of a book of Gene’s music. Service Information