Verla June Bullard, 94, of Monett, MO, passed from this life on Wednesday, September 20, 2017, while at Lacoba Homes in Monett, MO.
Verla June Painter was born on a farm in Foosland, IL on June 13, 1923 to Douglas & Lillian Painter, who long preceded her in death. She was the middle of three daughters; Lucille (Gibbens) and Velma (Burrell) who also preceded her in death.
Verla graduated from high school and then went to work for the CIA in Washington, D.C. as a secretary. She was extremely homesick so returned to Foosland after a year. Shortly thereafter she went to Chicago to work for the Red Cross where she met her husband of 68 years, Eldon Bullard, who was stationed at Great Lakes. They were married on June 29, 1946 and transferred to Pensacola, FL where he was stationed as a Marine. Their son, Donald Bullard, was born while they lived there. After Eldon's discharge from the Marine's, they moved to Kansas city, MO to be near Eldon's family. While there, they had a daughter, Joycelyn. When Joy was 6 months old, they moved to Pueblo, CO and from there to Denver where they remained for many years. Verla worked for the State of Colorado throughout their stay in Colorado. She was Public Information Officer for the Colorado State Soil Conservation Board, then as personal assistant to then Governor John A. Love, then ultimately retiring from the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice when they purchased a restaurant in Castle Dale, UT in 1980. After selling their restaurant, they moved to Grand Junction, CO and remained there until they moved to Springfield in 1990 so Joy could finish her Master's Degree in Social Work. They moved to Monett in 1999 and have remained there.
Verla always enjoyed "things that go fast". As a very young girl, her uncle let her ride in (and sometimes pilot) his crop duster. She raced cars at Bandimere Speedway in Denver long before there were any female racers. She used to go down on 17th Street in Denver on Saturday nights, with both kids in the back seat, and street race her souped up Oldsmobile Jetstar. Teenage boys who raced her never expected to be left in her dust. She always wanted to fly in a hot air balloon. She had a book published "Dinner at Noon, Supper at Night" about her years growing up on the farm in Foosland. She loved to play the piano, sing and write. She also enjoyed quilting.
Verla came to live at Lacoba Nursing Home in Monett in February of 2015 and has made many friends of both staff and residents there. She was known to always have something funny to say. She loved her caregivers there and they provided loving care right until the end. She represented Lacoba in the Ms. Nursing Home competition in June of 2016 and was awarded First Runner UP.
Verla was preceded in death by her husband, Eldon Bullard on October 27, 2014 and their son, Don Bullard on November 12, 1986. She is survived by her daughter, Joy Sweeney and her husband, Bill of Monett; Granddaughters, Rhiannon Edwards and her husband Peter of Battlefield and their three daughters, Kylie, Claire and Chloe; Misty Budimlija and her husband, Andy and their children Natalie and Nicholas of Lenexa; and Grandson Daniel Bullard and his wife Teressa and their daughters Sabryna and Gabrielle of Phoenix as well as many nieces and nephews who love her dearly. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Monett.
Funeral services were held on Monday, September 25, 2017 at Buchanan Funeral Home. Reverend Nancy DeJager officiated. Interment at the Oakdale Cemetery, Monett.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Liberty United Methodist Church in care of the funeral home.
Buchanan Funeral Home
Monett, Missouri
Verla June Painter was born on a farm in Foosland, IL on June 13, 1923 to Douglas & Lillian Painter, who long preceded her in death. She was the middle of three daughters; Lucille (Gibbens) and Velma (Burrell) who also preceded her in death.
Verla graduated from high school and then went to work for the CIA in Washington, D.C. as a secretary. She was extremely homesick so returned to Foosland after a year. Shortly thereafter she went to Chicago to work for the Red Cross where she met her husband of 68 years, Eldon Bullard, who was stationed at Great Lakes. They were married on June 29, 1946 and transferred to Pensacola, FL where he was stationed as a Marine. Their son, Donald Bullard, was born while they lived there. After Eldon's discharge from the Marine's, they moved to Kansas city, MO to be near Eldon's family. While there, they had a daughter, Joycelyn. When Joy was 6 months old, they moved to Pueblo, CO and from there to Denver where they remained for many years. Verla worked for the State of Colorado throughout their stay in Colorado. She was Public Information Officer for the Colorado State Soil Conservation Board, then as personal assistant to then Governor John A. Love, then ultimately retiring from the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice when they purchased a restaurant in Castle Dale, UT in 1980. After selling their restaurant, they moved to Grand Junction, CO and remained there until they moved to Springfield in 1990 so Joy could finish her Master's Degree in Social Work. They moved to Monett in 1999 and have remained there.
Verla always enjoyed "things that go fast". As a very young girl, her uncle let her ride in (and sometimes pilot) his crop duster. She raced cars at Bandimere Speedway in Denver long before there were any female racers. She used to go down on 17th Street in Denver on Saturday nights, with both kids in the back seat, and street race her souped up Oldsmobile Jetstar. Teenage boys who raced her never expected to be left in her dust. She always wanted to fly in a hot air balloon. She had a book published "Dinner at Noon, Supper at Night" about her years growing up on the farm in Foosland. She loved to play the piano, sing and write. She also enjoyed quilting.
Verla came to live at Lacoba Nursing Home in Monett in February of 2015 and has made many friends of both staff and residents there. She was known to always have something funny to say. She loved her caregivers there and they provided loving care right until the end. She represented Lacoba in the Ms. Nursing Home competition in June of 2016 and was awarded First Runner UP.
Verla was preceded in death by her husband, Eldon Bullard on October 27, 2014 and their son, Don Bullard on November 12, 1986. She is survived by her daughter, Joy Sweeney and her husband, Bill of Monett; Granddaughters, Rhiannon Edwards and her husband Peter of Battlefield and their three daughters, Kylie, Claire and Chloe; Misty Budimlija and her husband, Andy and their children Natalie and Nicholas of Lenexa; and Grandson Daniel Bullard and his wife Teressa and their daughters Sabryna and Gabrielle of Phoenix as well as many nieces and nephews who love her dearly. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Monett.
Funeral services were held on Monday, September 25, 2017 at Buchanan Funeral Home. Reverend Nancy DeJager officiated. Interment at the Oakdale Cemetery, Monett.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Liberty United Methodist Church in care of the funeral home.
Buchanan Funeral Home
Monett, Missouri
Verla June Bullard, 94, of Monett, MO, passed from this life on Wednesday, September 20, 2017, while at Lacoba Homes in Monett, MO.
Verla June Painter was born on a farm in Foosland, IL on June 13, 1923 to Douglas & Lillian Painter, who long preceded her in death. She was the middle of three daughters; Lucille (Gibbens) and Velma (Burrell) who also preceded her in death.
Verla graduated from high school and then went to work for the CIA in Washington, D.C. as a secretary. She was extremely homesick so returned to Foosland after a year. Shortly thereafter she went to Chicago to work for the Red Cross where she met her husband of 68 years, Eldon Bullard, who was stationed at Great Lakes. They were married on June 29, 1946 and transferred to Pensacola, FL where he was stationed as a Marine. Their son, Donald Bullard, was born while they lived there. After Eldon's discharge from the Marine's, they moved to Kansas city, MO to be near Eldon's family. While there, they had a daughter, Joycelyn. When Joy was 6 months old, they moved to Pueblo, CO and from there to Denver where they remained for many years. Verla worked for the State of Colorado throughout their stay in Colorado. She was Public Information Officer for the Colorado State Soil Conservation Board, then as personal assistant to then Governor John A. Love, then ultimately retiring from the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice when they purchased a restaurant in Castle Dale, UT in 1980. After selling their restaurant, they moved to Grand Junction, CO and remained there until they moved to Springfield in 1990 so Joy could finish her Master's Degree in Social Work. They moved to Monett in 1999 and have remained there.
Verla always enjoyed "things that go fast". As a very young girl, her uncle let her ride in (and sometimes pilot) his crop duster. She raced cars at Bandimere Speedway in Denver long before there were any female racers. She used to go down on 17th Street in Denver on Saturday nights, with both kids in the back seat, and street race her souped up Oldsmobile Jetstar. Teenage boys who raced her never expected to be left in her dust. She always wanted to fly in a hot air balloon. She had a book published "Dinner at Noon, Supper at Night" about her years growing up on the farm in Foosland. She loved to play the piano, sing and write. She also enjoyed quilting.
Verla came to live at Lacoba Nursing Home in Monett in February of 2015 and has made many friends of both staff and residents there. She was known to always have something funny to say. She loved her caregivers there and they provided loving care right until the end. She represented Lacoba in the Ms. Nursing Home competition in June of 2016 and was awarded First Runner UP.
Verla was preceded in death by her husband, Eldon Bullard on October 27, 2014 and their son, Don Bullard on November 12, 1986. She is survived by her daughter, Joy Sweeney and her husband, Bill of Monett; Granddaughters, Rhiannon Edwards and her husband Peter of Battlefield and their three daughters, Kylie, Claire and Chloe; Misty Budimlija and her husband, Andy and their children Natalie and Nicholas of Lenexa; and Grandson Daniel Bullard and his wife Teressa and their daughters Sabryna and Gabrielle of Phoenix as well as many nieces and nephews who love her dearly. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Monett.
Funeral services were held on Monday, September 25, 2017 at Buchanan Funeral Home. Reverend Nancy DeJager officiated. Interment at the Oakdale Cemetery, Monett.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Liberty United Methodist Church in care of the funeral home.
Buchanan Funeral Home
Monett, Missouri
Verla June Painter was born on a farm in Foosland, IL on June 13, 1923 to Douglas & Lillian Painter, who long preceded her in death. She was the middle of three daughters; Lucille (Gibbens) and Velma (Burrell) who also preceded her in death.
Verla graduated from high school and then went to work for the CIA in Washington, D.C. as a secretary. She was extremely homesick so returned to Foosland after a year. Shortly thereafter she went to Chicago to work for the Red Cross where she met her husband of 68 years, Eldon Bullard, who was stationed at Great Lakes. They were married on June 29, 1946 and transferred to Pensacola, FL where he was stationed as a Marine. Their son, Donald Bullard, was born while they lived there. After Eldon's discharge from the Marine's, they moved to Kansas city, MO to be near Eldon's family. While there, they had a daughter, Joycelyn. When Joy was 6 months old, they moved to Pueblo, CO and from there to Denver where they remained for many years. Verla worked for the State of Colorado throughout their stay in Colorado. She was Public Information Officer for the Colorado State Soil Conservation Board, then as personal assistant to then Governor John A. Love, then ultimately retiring from the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice when they purchased a restaurant in Castle Dale, UT in 1980. After selling their restaurant, they moved to Grand Junction, CO and remained there until they moved to Springfield in 1990 so Joy could finish her Master's Degree in Social Work. They moved to Monett in 1999 and have remained there.
Verla always enjoyed "things that go fast". As a very young girl, her uncle let her ride in (and sometimes pilot) his crop duster. She raced cars at Bandimere Speedway in Denver long before there were any female racers. She used to go down on 17th Street in Denver on Saturday nights, with both kids in the back seat, and street race her souped up Oldsmobile Jetstar. Teenage boys who raced her never expected to be left in her dust. She always wanted to fly in a hot air balloon. She had a book published "Dinner at Noon, Supper at Night" about her years growing up on the farm in Foosland. She loved to play the piano, sing and write. She also enjoyed quilting.
Verla came to live at Lacoba Nursing Home in Monett in February of 2015 and has made many friends of both staff and residents there. She was known to always have something funny to say. She loved her caregivers there and they provided loving care right until the end. She represented Lacoba in the Ms. Nursing Home competition in June of 2016 and was awarded First Runner UP.
Verla was preceded in death by her husband, Eldon Bullard on October 27, 2014 and their son, Don Bullard on November 12, 1986. She is survived by her daughter, Joy Sweeney and her husband, Bill of Monett; Granddaughters, Rhiannon Edwards and her husband Peter of Battlefield and their three daughters, Kylie, Claire and Chloe; Misty Budimlija and her husband, Andy and their children Natalie and Nicholas of Lenexa; and Grandson Daniel Bullard and his wife Teressa and their daughters Sabryna and Gabrielle of Phoenix as well as many nieces and nephews who love her dearly. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Monett.
Funeral services were held on Monday, September 25, 2017 at Buchanan Funeral Home. Reverend Nancy DeJager officiated. Interment at the Oakdale Cemetery, Monett.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Liberty United Methodist Church in care of the funeral home.
Buchanan Funeral Home
Monett, Missouri
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